




•ass. 



EiiS- 



Rmk .VT 2(^.5 




the Prtebjteridn CUurcb, 



JAMAICA CENTENNIAL, 

JULY 4tli, 1876. 



ALSO, 



I^EOOHiLElOTIOlSrS 



OF 



^CHiili 411 Silillil HI 1. 



HENRY ONDERDONK, Jr. 



JAMAICA, L. I. 

1876. 



■i-f 



The committee ftppointed to make arrange- 
I monta i'or the approacbiug cclebratiou of the 
I Fourth of July mct,purriu.iut to adjoin'iimout, as 
I a Oouimitteo of the Whole in the Town Hall on 
Friday evening last, and after due considera- 
tion the following reaolutiouy wave paysed. 

Ueiolved, That Henby OxuEnDOUK, Jr. Enq. he 
invited to leail a liistoi-ical paper upon events 
that occurred in and c^ar the vicinity of Jamai- 
ca, during the Itevolution. 

Also, That Hon. Kjciiakd Busteed and Rev. J. 
G, Van Slyke he I'equested to deliver orations. 

Also, That W. J. Ballaud be requested to se- 
lect one of the young ladies of the Public School 
to read the Declaration of Independence, aud to 
make arrangements for singing by the pupils of 
the Public School. 

_Also, That these exercises be held in the Town 
Hall, July 4th, 187G, commencing at 10 o'clock, 
A. M. and ending at 12 H., precis^'ly, when the 
audience will join in singing the Doxology. 

Also, That tue citizens be requested to deco- 
rate their houses dtrring the day with flags, &c. 
and illuminate them during the evening. 

Also, Upon motion Mr. C. H. Huntting was ap- 
pointed a committee to make arrangements for 
tiring one bunilred guns during the day. 

And upon motion Messrs T. P. Arohek, John 
Fi^^UKY and B. F. Evekett were appointed to 
make arrangements for a parade of the Fire De- 
partment'iu the evening. 

Adjourned to meet at the Town Hall on Wed- 
nesday evening, June 14th at 8 o'clock. 

A. A. Deokauw, Vhuiriiian. 

W. J. Ballard, Secreiarij. 



OLDEN TIMES. 

An Additonal Installment of Henry 
OnderdonkJ^s Unspoken Address 
on the Kevoiutionarv His- 
tory of Jamaica. 

"No Ttixntion VViihout Kcpro: ciitntioii "— 
The Meu Who Voted in 17^-5— 'liie Jatnaien 
illilitia and the Pay Koll in 177«— Some 

Very IntcrcNtiisg Facts. 

In printing Mr. Onderdonk's sketches of 
Eevolutionary Incidents at Jamaica, we 
omitted tlie introductory portion which 
shows how the patriots gradually drifted 
into open rebellion after their petitions had 
been spurned from the foot of the throne, j 

VIEWS OF OUE FOREFATHERS. 

When our forefathers first entered on the | 
Revolutionary struggle, they did not con- 1 
jji template a separation from the British i 
Crown ; but merely desired the reform of j 
abuses and to resist the encroachments of 
Parliament and the Ministry on their rights 
and privileges. Theii- motto was "No tax- 
ation without Representation." But they 
advanced on step by stop, till at last there 
could be no return, and then, they went 
into open rebellion. No doubt some long 
headed statesmen saw from the first that 
this would be the final result. 



FIRST MOVEMENT IN JAMAICA. 

On the passage of the Bill in Parliament, 
shuttiNg up the port of Boston for throwing 
tea overboard, some persons in Jamaica as- 
sembled at the inn of Increase Carpenter, 
2 miles east of the village, and after an 
interchange of oiDinions requested Othniel 
Smith, the constable, to warn the freehold- 
ers to a meeting at the Court House (where 
now is the Hall of Pharmacy), to take into 
consideration the state of public affairs. 

"^^ KESOLUTIONS ADOPTED. • 

The inhabitants of Jamaica met Dec. 6th, 

1774, and resolved : 

1. To maintaiu the just depcudeuce of tlie Colouies 
iipou the Crowu of Great Biitaiu, and to render true 
allegiance to King George III, 

2. That it is our right to be taxed only by our o\^^l 
consent; and that taxes imposed on ns by Parlia- 
ment are an infringement of our rights. 

3. We glory tq have been born subject to the Crown 
and excellent Constitution of Great Britain ; we are 
one people with our mother country, and lament the 
late unhappy disputes. 

5. AVe sympathize with our brethren of Boston 
under their sufferings. 

6. We approve the measures of the late General 
Congress at Philadelphia. 

T. We appoint for our Committee of correspond- 
ence and observation : 
Kev. Abm. Keteltas, Capt. Richard Betts, 

Waters Smith, Dr. John Inncs, 

Capt. Ephraim Bailey, Jos. Kobiusou, 
Capt. Jos. French, Elias Bailey, 

Wm. Ludlum. ^ 

Note —This meeting would have been held much 
sooner but for the refusal of Capt. Beuj. Whitehead 
Supervisor to show the townspeople the letter he 
had received from the Whig Committee of New 
X ork. 

Note.— Abm. Keteltas tho' a clergyman said that 
sooner than pay the duty oh tea as required by Par- 
liament he would shoulder his musket and tight. 

TRUE PREDICTION OF THE COMMITTEE. 

The Jamaica Committee met Jan. 19th, 

1775, and after thanking the New. York 
delegates to the General Congiess for 
their important services, they say : " We 
joyfully anticipate the pleasure of seeing 
your names enwlled in the annals of 
America and transmitted to the latest 
generations as the friends and deliverers 
of your country, and of having your 
praises resounded from one end of this 
Continent to the other." 



PROTEST OF THE LOYALISTS. c'Ook.j 

Only 8 days after the Committee had 
thus endorsed the action of their dele- 
gates, 136 inhabitants of Jamaica signed a 
protest stating that "a f^w people of the 
town had taken on themeelves the name of 
a Committee. We never gave our assent 
thereto, as we disapprove of all unlawful 
meetings. Wo resolve to continue faith- 
ful subjects to His Majesty King George 
III our most gracious Sovereign." 

THE FIRST POLL LIST. 

1775, Mar. 31st. — Friday being the day 
appointed for taking the sense of the free- 
holders of Jamaica on the expediency of 
choosing a deputy to the Provincial Con- 
gress at New York, a poll was opened at 
the Court House. The town refused by a 
majority of nine to send a deputy. 



NO COMMITTEE 

Adam Lawrence, 
Johannes Polliemus, 
Jos. Oklfielcl, 
Tunis Bargin, 
Chas. Ar4inir, 
John Lainuerson, 
John Smith, 
John Troup, 
Paul Aml)erman, 
Johannes Lott, 
Johannes Snedekcr, 
Jos. Golder, 
Abm. Djt.mars, 
Jacamiah Valuntiue, 
Wm. Cornell, 
Isaac Amberraau, 
Lucas Elderd, 
Sr. L3tt. 
Wm. VVellina:- 
Nich. Van Osdoll, 
Lucas Bergen, 
John Wigi^in?, 
Obi. Mills, 
Aury Ramson. 
John Williamson, 
Cor's Ben net, 
Nich. Jones, 
Samuel Dougtjty, 
Daniel llamsou, 
John Foster. ' 
Thomas Bells, 
John Beunet, 
John Doughty. 
Nathaniel Higbie, 
Rich. Belts, Capt. 
Tunis Covert, 
Nich. LambeiBOu, 
Simeon Lambersou, 
Wm. Petiit, 
Johanais Williamso!). 
Uba. llinchman, 
Jacob Bargiu, 
Nich. Lndium, 
Bernard us Ryder, 
Philiii) Piatt., 
Nath'l Mills, Jr. 
JohannisEldert, 



: — NO DErtJTT. 

Peter Noostrant, 
Garret Noostrant, 
Garret Dorland, Jr., 
Garret Borland, Sr., 
Jacob Lott, 
Nath'l Townsend, 
Garret Sr.edeker, 
Derrick Bargm, 
St. Clements, : 
Abm. Van Nostraut, 
Nath'l Mills, Jr., 
Matthias Lambersou, 
George Ryerson, 
John Ramsou, 
St. Higby, 
John Rimsou, Sr., 
Daniel Lawrence, 
Geo. Duiibar, 
Henry Iligby, 
Benj. Doughty, 
Wm. Walts, 
Wm. Golder, 
Tim. Cornell, 
John Van Liew, 
Jabes Woodruff, 
John Rowland, 
nope Mills, 
Benj. Whitehead, 
Nehemiah Carpenter, 
Rendrick Emmeus, 
Rem Ram son, 
John Biugiii, 
Dowe Ditmis, 
Evert Van Wickley, 
Wm. Thatfo'd, 
Anthony Ramsou, 
John Nostraud, 
Garret Lattiiig. 
Ludium Smith, 
Samuel Foster, 
Isaac Leffert, 
Rueloff Dur ea, 
Johannis Polhemus, 
Jo-'. French, Esq., 
A.V. Nostraud, 
John Watts, 
Jo9t Van Brunt— 94. 



ron A PEI'UTY— JOS. BOIUNSON. 

Capi. Anthony llut^'crs, S;imacl Mcsscn<:er, 
John SUidmoi-o, Jolin J. .skidmoie, 



Kobcrt Uiiicknian, 
Waters Smilh, 
VVqi. Luctluin, 
Ue/. Ai)n). Ketelta?, 
Jouss Frederick, 
\Vm. Steed, 
Joiiu Millo, 
Isaac Iiajiey, 
Increase Carpenter, 
,I»bn t'ockic, 
Isaac lleudrickson, 
John Innos, Sr., 
lilias Bayley. 
Aaron lleudrickson, 
Kobe;t Denton, 
John Smith, 
Jacob Wright, 
Nich. Smith, Sr., 
Wm. Messenger, 
Nich. Evcrilt, 
I'eter Smith, 
John Brimncr, 
Daniel Ti'.thill, 



Jacjues JoluisoD, 
Nell. KveritI, 
Increase Carpenter, 
Jos. Iligljy, 
Andrew Ualdey, 
Moses Uigby, 
Jacob Foster, 
Daniel Lndlain, 
Sani'l riigby, cooper, 
Cor's Losec, 
Daniel Smith, 
Samuel Digby, Jr., 
Joiia. Thnrslon, 
Natli'l Smith, 
Epliraiin Tilarston, 
Othuie) Smith, 
Samuel Smith, 
Wm. Creed, 
Neh. Carpenter, 
John Skidmore, Jr., 
Thomas Denton, 
Benjamin Everitt, 
John Van Liew, 



llend'k Ilendrickson. Sr. Beuj. Creed, 



Dar.iel Everitt, 
John Brush, 
Isaac lloads, 
John Koads. 
Jonah Iloads, 
Hope Koads, 
Abm. Ilendrickson, 



Isaac Mills 
Nicn. Smith, Jr. 
Ben. Uinckman. 
David Lamberson, 
Nathaniel Box, 
Wm. Creed, Jr., 
Ephraini Bayley, 



llend'k Uendrickson,Jr. Oua. Smilh, 
NNliitehead Skidmore, Jacob Carpenter, 
Christoplier Hyder, Neh. Carpenter, 

Amos Dentoii, Joshna Carpenter, 

Samuel Skidmore, Richard Roads, 

Noali Smith, John Messenger, 

Daniel Bayley, Jos. Robinson, 

Wait Smilh, Thos. Wiggins, 

Jolin Smith, Jacob Duryea— S6 

Jobn Thurston, 

Nr)TE The following persons, for some cause, 

did not vote, though they had signed the Troteet 
against a Committee : 

Geo. Fowler, 

Jos. Purinaii 

Robert Howell, 

John Hutchings, 

tjarret Murphy, • 

Mervin Perry, 

Samuel Simiuonp, 

Wm. Turner, 

Chas. and Sam'l Welling. 



Aury Bocruni, 
Jos."l>urIing, 
Geo. Bates, 
Abm. Colyer, 
Gilbert Combes, 
Potcr Caverly, 
Jacob and John Dean, 
Jos. Dunbar, Sr., 
John Grant, 

GOV. COLDEN AT JAMAICA. 

1 775, May 18. — An address was presented 
Lt. Gov. Golden, at Jamaica, requesting 
him to intercede with Gen. Gage and the 
King to stop their violent measures. His 
reply was unsatisfactory, though given with 
tears. 

THE WHOLE COUNTY VOTE. 

The Whigs, on hearing the news of the 
battle of Lexington, decided to hold 
another Congress. Daniel Kissam was 
Chairman of a meeting held at Jamaica 



May 22, 1775, which elected ten deputies | 
W'the Provincial Congress. Jos. Eobinson 
and Jos. French were named for Jamaica, 
but French refused to serve. The Loyal- 
ists kept from the polls and let the elec- 
tion go^by default. 

NAMES OF COMMITTEEMEK. 

Elias Baylis Chairman; Amos Denton,! 
John Thurston, Jos. Eobinson, Noah 
Smith, Nath'l Tuthill. 

., GUNPOWr-EE. I 

p 1775, Sep. 2nd. — Congress grant Joseph ' 
Robinson leave to receive 100 lbs. of gun 
powder for the use of the Jamaica militia, 

on his paying cash for it. 

GENEKAL ASSOCIATION. 

The GcDcrpJ Association was a test 
pajjcr. The signers pledged themselves to 
stand by each other in the great struggle 
for their rights and to support the 
Congress. 

DISARMING LOYALISTS. 

1775, Sep. 16. — Congress having need of 
arms for the soldiers in Continental ser- 
vice, sent troops to Jamaica to impress 
them from those who refused to sign the 
General Association. Abm. Skinner, of 
Jamaica, reports to Congress that but few 
arms had been collected for want of a 
battalion of soldiers to intimidate the 
Loyalists. "The peoijle conceal all their 
arms of any value, many say they know 
nothing about Congress and don't care for 
their orders, and they will blow out any 
man's brains that would attempt to take 
their arms."* 

•Note. — Gov. Golden sent his servant aroinid to- 
sonie oC the leading people, advieina: them to arm 
and defend themselves, and not deliver up their 
arnis. 

JAMAICA MINUTE MEN. 

The subscribers have associated them- 
selves as "minute men" for the defence 
of American liberty, and eng-^ge to be 
obedient to the Congress. 

John Skidmore, Capt; Jacob Wright, Isfe 
Lt; Nich. Everet, 2nd Lt; Ephraim Mars- 
ton, ensign. 

Privates. Cornelius and Derick Amber- 
man; Isaac, Nehemiah, Daniel and John 
Baylis ; John Bremner ; Eichard and Eob- 
ert Betts ; William Cebra ; Peter Canile ; 
Benjamin and Nehemiah Everet; Samuel,. 



Joseph, Thomas and Daniel Higbie ; James 
Hinchman; Hendrick, Aaron and Abm- 
Hendrickson; John Innis ; William, Nehe- 

j luiah and Nathaniel Ludlum ; David and 

j Waters Lambertson ; Andrew Mills ; 

I Andrew Oakley ; Urias and Stephen Kider ; 

' Hope, Richard and Nathaniel Rhodes ; 
Joseph Robinson, Richard, Nathaniel, 
^Walter, John, Obadiah, Simeon, Sylvester, 
Nicholas and Benjamin Smith; Daniel 
Skidmore ; John and Wm. Stin ; Wm. and 
Benjamin Thurston; Thomas Wiggins; j 
Jesse Wilson. 

DEFENDERS OF LIBERTY. ' 

1776, March 27.— A military company of 
40 men associated themselves as defenders 
of liberty. 

Ephraim Baylis Captain; Increase Car- 
penter, 1st Lt.; Abm. Van.Osdoll, 2d L-t,; 
Othniel Smith, Ensign. 

PETITION^OF THE DISARMED. 

1776. April 13.— Nath'l, Joshua, Samuel 
and Peter Mills, Jabez Woodruff, John 
Lamberson, Nich. Ludlum, Abm, Colyer, 
Jos. Oldfield ; John Remsen, Jacc/b Deam 
and Dirck Bergen complain to Congress 
that having been disarmed by Col. Heard* 
they have since been plundered of their 
cattle and effects (sold at vendue for half 
their value), by order of Capt. Bailey, for 
not appearing in arms (when they had 
none), nor answering to their names at a 
training. 

*NoTE.— At 3 different limes Amerieun Soldiers 
had marched into Jamaica, to disarm the Loyalists. 

DELINQUENTS ADVERTISED. 

1770, June 13.— Capt. Ephraim Bayley 
publishes in a New York Paper that "Nich- 
olas Ludlum, Sr. and Jr., Jos. Oldfield, John 
Remsen, and Jabez Woodruff having thrice 
neglected to attend the times and places 
appointed for military exercise and having 
thrice been fined, are hereby advertised and 
held up as enemies to their country." 

NO INSULTS TO CONGRESS. 

1776, April 26. — All friends of American 
liberty in Jamaica are entreated to aid the 
Comuiiittee. Should any officers in the ser- 
vice of Congress, meet with insults ia 
the discharge of their duties the offenders 
will be treated as enemies to their country. 
Elias Baylis, Chairman. 



POWDER. 

1776, May 28. — Congress order 100 lbs. 
gun powder to be delivered to Capi. Baylis 
to be distributed to those well affected to 
the American cause. 

SUSPICIOUS CHARA.CTEES. 

i77G, May 15. — No person shall move 
into Jamaica without producing f' certifi- 
cate from the Committee where he last re- 
sided, that he is a friend of the American 
cause. All suspicious persons passing 
through the town, will be arrested for ex- 
amination. By order of the Committee. 
ELrAS Batlis, Chairman. 

1770, May 28.— Captain Thos. Harriot, of 
Jamaica, having refused to take the Con- 
tinental money, is held up by order of Con- 
o-ress as an enemy to his country. 

PAT ROLL. 

Pay roll of the Jamaica militia (from 
July'cr.th to Aug. 31, 1776) stationed on 
the shores south side of Jamaica* and at 
New York Ferry. ^149.2.10 due. 

Win. Ludlnm, Captain, $26,^3 per mouth. 
Increase Carpenter, 1st Lt. $18 per moutU. 
Ephraim Marstin 2cl Lt. S18 ' '^ " 
Beni. TImrstou, 1st Serg't. $S " 
Heud'k. Hendrickson 2d Serg't. SS per month. 
Oba. Smith Corporal $1}4 per month. 
Noah Smith, Corporal $7^, " " 
Nich. Lambersou, Drummer, $1^, par niontn. 
Bernardus Ryder, Fifer, $iy^ per mouth. 

PRIVATES.— $6-3 per mouth. 
Samuel Higbie, Nicholas VVortmau, 

John Junes, John Smith, ,,,,.„„.,,, 

Isaac Van Osdol, Neh. Carpenter, bl ksmith, 
Aaron Hendrickson, Henry Wiggins, 
Stephen Rider, Nehemiah Smith. 

Nehemiah Ludlum, John Bailey,_ 
Neliemiah Bailey, Lawrence Stivers, 
Wm. Stiuo, . Peter Frederick, 

Nich. Lamberson, H. Hendrickson, U ksm th, 
Cornelius Creed, Abm. Colder, 
Sylvester Smith, Richard Belts, 
Thomas Brady, Charles Smith, 

— MacLean, Abm. Ditmars, 

John Bennet, Rem Remsen, 

John Bishop. 

^^ Drafted but not delivered : Benj. 
Whitehead, Jos. Dunbar, and Peter Mills. 
*NoTE.— Isaiah Doxsey says the Americans had a 
force stationed with pitched tents at Far Rockaway. 
Nellv Cornell. looking out of an uppir story window, 
called to the Captain «nd told him she "saw trees 
rising from the ocean." He looked, and tb.n called 
another ofticer, and said: " Thafs the Briti^l' fl«'V, 
down with the tents, and let's be off to the Feirv- 
Wagous were then impressed to convey the baggag(., 
andlhc cattle were driven off. 



1?0TE.— After the defeat of the Ameiictns at 
Brooklyn this company was disbanded, and the men 
mostly returned to their homes. ' 

NAMING CHILDREN. i 

The Presbyterians of Jamaica were nob 
slow in honoring our Eovolutionary he- 
.^es, for we find, Jan. 28, 1776, a child bap- 
t4z,ed John Hancock Mavston, and on July 
2ith, another named George Washington 
Smith. As an offset, we find one named 
(1780) Beloyal Livingston. 



THE CENTENNIAL HISTOKT OF JAMAICA. 
DEPUTIES. 

1775, Nov. 7. — An election for Deputies 
to the Provincial Congress was again held 
at Jamaica. The polls were kept open 
from Tuesday till Saturday, at 5 o'clock 
afternoon. Seven were nominated. Waters 
Smith for Jamaica. The whole county 
voted, and the poll stood 221 for Deputies, 
and 747 against. So Queens county had 
no representation in the Congress till May 
14th 1776. 

The names of those who voted against 
Deputies were printed in two N. Y. papers, 
so that they might be held up to the public 
contempt, and that the whigs might shun 
all dealings or intercouse with them. 

The Asia, a British ship of war, lay off 
Eockaway, and supplied the disaffected with 
arms and ammunition, and also received 
fresh provision from the farmers. Con- 
gress issued this handbill : 

1775, Dec. 13. — Whereas some disaffected 
persons in Queens couty have been supplied 
with arms from the Asia, ship of war, and 
are arraying themselves to oppose the 
measvires taken by the United Colonies for 
their just rights, it is ordered that Captain 
Beni. Wliitehead, Dr. Chas. Arden, Capt. 
Jos. French and Capt. Johannes Polhemus, 
all of Jamaica, appear before this Congress 
on the 19th iust., to give satisfaction in the 
premises; and that they be protected from 
insult, coming and returning. 

DISAl'FKCTKD PEESONS IM JAMAICA. 

Ttie Whin Committee sent to the Congress in N. 
y. the followiug list oi susp'cious characters (June 
2l' 1TT6), who liept in and about JamMica. 

1. Dr. Chas. Arden.— He instigated the Tories to 
sigii against having a Congress er Committee. 

2. Capt, Ben. Whitehead, late Supervisor. He 
refused to communicate to the people of Jamaica 
the letters he received from the Whig Committee 

. pf N. Y. 



3 Alex. Wallace, merchanl of N. Y. but now 
lives ill VVaters Smith's house. „ . . . ^ 

4 Geo. Bethuue, li-oin Bostou. He is intimate 
ilh Ardeu and Whitehead. 

6 Samuel Martin from Antigua, lie lives in Oba. 
fji'vo h^naf. mid aRsociates with Jas. Depeyslcr. 



ives in VVaters &muusuou»<?. „ . . . 

4 Geo. Bethuue, from Bostou. He is intimate 
with Ardeu and Whitehead. 

6 Samuel Martin from Antigua, lie lives in Oba 
Mill's house, and associates with Jas. Depeyslcr. 
6 Ctias. McEvers, formerly a stamp-ofticer. 11 
iY;',7-tis in ,Tohu Troup's house. __. 



TiVes ill John Troup's house. 

7 8 and ». Thos. and Fleming Colgan, and John 
W ' Livingston, Jr. They often go on tJreed's hill 
to leok out for the British fleet expected off Sandy 

^10 -lud 11. John and Wm. Dunbar shut themselves 
up and refused to tram or pay their fines. 

12 George Folliot, merchant (rom N. Y. He 
lives at Jaaues Johnson's, Fresh Meadow. 

13 Theophylact Barhe. of Flatbush. He comes 
to Alex. Wallace's at Jamaica. 

U. James Depeyster.-He lives next to -^ni 
Belts and is said to be a dangerous Tory. His son 
hf "been pursued several time", but can't be taken. 

HUNTING TOKIES. 

1776 June 21.— The loyalists, -tvlien 
warned to train in tlie militia companies, 
refused to appear, and often hid away in 
the woods and swamps. They were some- 
times hunted out. 

I will read an order : 

Lt. Thos. Mitchell : 

Von are hereby ordered to march your company 
into CaDt Peter Nostrand'8 district, and assist him 
to briu" the 2S3 defaulters of his company, or such 
!.° ^ou can hud. to Samuel NicoU^s, and^thei. s^ecure 
them. 

Stephen Eider, with other Jamaica min- 
ute men, was ordered to a swamp at the 
head of Dorlon's mill pond, in Hempstead. 
He climed up an oak tree to reconnoitre, 
when a ball whistled by his head. He saw 
by the smoke whence it came He called 

for a loaded S-^^^^'^\^^\^:':t.^F.t 
hira and firing at a venture, hit a lad of 18, 
named Geo. Smith, justbelowthe shoulder 
Th™ party surrendered, and were brought 
to Jamaica jail. After the Bx^^tish posses- 
sion of L. I., Rider was arrested for this 
Ind suffered great hardships m the Provost 
prison, and was heavily hned. 

1776. June 24.-Au election of Delegates 
to Con;res8 was held at Jamaica, Rev. Abm. 
SeSltas and Waters Smith were nomina- 
ted for Jamaica. 

In Congress, John Jay moved that : 
WHEBEAS. Rev. Abm. KeteUa^has be,n s^^^^ 
devoted to the service of God and the cu^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ 

^«^Pn°nts"af woufd diveTw^ niind from that 
I^SnrwhichVnTt of thi. world. 

Mr Keteltas was excused by a vote of 23 
to 18 from service in Congress. 



The Declaration of Independence was vo- 
ted July 4.th, and sent with a letter from 
John Hancock, but not acted on by the N. 
_Y. Provincial Congress till July 9th, when 
they ordered it published by beat of drum, 
and 500 copies in hand bills to be circulated 
in the several counties of the State. It 
was read at the head of every military com- 
pany in Quoens county. 

I have heard my father (J. 0.) say he 
read it aloud at noon-spell to the family, 
who were all called together to hear it. 

July 20* — Congress order the live stock 
south of the Ridge of Hills on L. I. to be 
driven toward Hempstead Plains, in order 
to keep it out of the hands of the enemy, 
whose fleet was daily expected off Sandy 
Hook. 

New York, July the 3d, 1776. 
To Coll. John f>an(li>, Eaqr.: 

Sir — I have tliis day waited upon his Excellency, 
(Jeneial Washiuj^ton, relating to removing the cat- 
tle, horses and sheep on the eonth side of Qneena 
county, according to resolve of Congress and the 
General ofticere of the army. His opinion is that the 
Commanding officers and Committee of the county 
order it immediately done. He further declared that 
in case the ' Tories made anv resistance he woi»k^ 
Bendsi Buinlier of his m-M with :orders to shoot el; 
tbe qiee,tii!cp, nnd a.i--o three vho hindered die ev;R 
CiiiifU oi s;ua lesuive.H willnii the Umits therein pre- 
scribed. The Commissary of the Army en^'aged to 
me that he would pay the full value for the fat cattle 
and sheep to tlie owners, provided they would dri\c 
them within General Green's lines in Brooklyn. 
Proper care will he taken as to valuing said crea- 
tures. Time will not permit us to make any delay. 
I am, sir, your very humble servant, 

Jebomus RemsEn, Jr. 

^ M^'iiTE Plains, July 20th, 1776. 

Sir— T have received orders from Congress to give 
orders to all the Commanding officers ot my ISrigadc 
to hold themselves in readiness. Sir, you are, there- 
fore, directed to keep the Regiment under your com- 
mand in readiness to march on the shortest notice 
with five days provision, to any part of Long Island, 
where you shall be direct.'d, for the defence of the 
«ame. I am, sir, your humble sarvant, 

rr r. , c, ^^'^TH'L WooDHULL, Brig. Gen'l. 
To. Col. Sande. 

WOODHTJLL. 

Gen. Woodhull had command of the 
American party that were driving off the 
live stock ; and therefore the British were 
eager to overtake and capture him, and re- 
cover the cattle. 

Hence, on Aug. 28th the day after the 
defeat of the American army at Brooklyn, 
a detachment cf the 17th Light Dragoons' 
galloped into the village of Jamaica, "amid 



thunder, lightning and rain, in pursuit of 
Woodhull's party. He was at Jamaica 
with only 90 men. These he ordered to 
move e^tward, driving the stock before 
IJaem. He waited at Jamaica for further 
Orders from Congress. At last he moved 
slowly on to Carpenter's tavern, 2 miles 
east of Jamaica. It is supposed he sought 
temporary shelter there fi-om a shower. 
But as he came out of the house to re- 
mount his horse, and had his hand on the 
reins, the British Light horse galloped up. 

They cried out: "surrender you d d 

Eebel," say " God save the King." As he 
did not do this, but tendered his sword, 
they showered their sabre blows on his 
head and his arm, as it was uplifted, to 
ward off the strokes. 

They then quickly mounted him on horse 
back behind one of the troopers, bleeding 
as he was, and hurried back to Jamaica, 
where his wounds were dressed, and he was 
kept under guard. His shirt sle^e cut 
with seven gashes, and his hat slashed in 
many places, were long preserved in jiis 
family. 

Next day, wi h other prisoners,Woodhull 
was taken to a prison ship at New Utrecht. 
He was so weak that he was allowed to ride 
in a chaise with David Lamberson. His 
arm cut in the elbow joint, soon mortified, 
and was taken oif by Dr. Bailey, of the 
British service. But he soon died, and his 
wife, who was with him in his last mo- 
ments, conveyed his embalmed body to 
Mastic, where it was interred on his farm, 
about the 23d of September. 

SUBMISSION. 

When the American army abandoned 
L. I., -to the enemy the more active Whigs 
fled. Eev. Messrs. Keteltas and Froeligh 
crossed to the Main as did John I. Skid- 
more, Increase Carpenter and others. The 
property of those who fled was seized by 
the British authorities. But most of the 
Whigs staid at home with their families, 
and took their chance. The more obnox- 
ious were arrested and taken to the British 
camp in Kings county. Among these were 
Elias Baylis, an aged and blind man, an 
Elder in the Presbyterian Church, David 
Lamberson, Abm. Ditmars, Eobart Hinch- 
man, John Thurston and others. 



The more quiet whigs were not dis- 
turbed. They took the oath of allegiance 
to the Crown, signed a paper of submis- 
sion, and prayed to be restored to the 
Royal favor, and wore a red ribbon on 
j;heir hats. 
'Some whigs who did not come promptly 
forward and get a protec;i.ion paper from 
the Britiaii General, were informed against 
by their malicious neighbors, and hurried 
off to the Provost prison in N. Y., where, 
by the inhumanity of Cunningham, the 
Provost Marshal, they suffered great priva- 
tions, and some even died. 

All whigs were notified that if they ex- 
pected any indulijence from the Crown 
they must make proof of their attachment 
to the Eoyal cause, by supplying fresh 
provisions, cattle, grain &c., for the army. 

Several of the more active Loyalists of 
Jamaica, made offers of their services to 
the British, and were sent into Suffolk 
county to collect wagons and horses, live 
stock, forage and the like for Howe's army. 
Among these were Joshua and Hope Mills, 
and John Dunbar. 

FARM PRODUCE. 

The farmers had to reserve their hay, 
grain, wood, &c., for the British army, and 
it had to be sold at prices fixed by a Pi'o- 
clamation of the British commandant. 

In Sep. 1 776, a printed circular (with 
blanks to be filled up), was left with each 
farmer : 

"Yon are hirel)y (irdered t,o preserve for the 
King's use 3 loads of hay, 50 bushels of wheat,50 of 
oats, 50 of rye, 50 of barley, 50 ot Indian corn, and 
allyour wheat and rye straw, and not to dispose of 
the same, but to an order in writing from Major 
John Morrison, Commissary for forage, as you will 
answer the contrary at your peril." 

In 1780, '81 and '82, each town was re- 
quired to furnish able-bodied horses for the 
army. The horses were brought to Jamaica, 
delivered to the Commissary General, and 
after inspection, and valuation, paid for. 

IMPRESSMENTS. 

Impressing teams was very annoying. 
If in your wagon going to church, toafuaer- 
al, or to mill, or on any other urgent busi- 
ness, you were liable to be stopped and 
forced away with your team on the King's 
service. 

g^Here is one of those little tickets, so 
dreaded by the farmers : 



Flushing, 26th Sep. ITTti. 
To Duke Bergen: 

Press two wagons for the service of the Light Dra- 
goons. S. Birch, Lt. Col. 

HEAD QUARTERS. 

Jamaica being somewhat central, was 
usually the Head Quarters of the British 
.-jpommandants of L. I., Gen. Oliver Delancey, 
"Tryon and others. 

The street was patrolled, day and night, 
so that all stragglers, deserters and run- 
away negroes were liable to be arrested 
and brought before the Commandant for 
examination. 

An American Sailor having escaped 
from the Prison ship at the Wallabout had 
to pass thro' this village. He saw a negro 
boy driving cattle along the road, so he 
picked up a stick and commenced hurrjdng 
up the cows as if he was one of the drivers. 
The trick succeeded, and he passed by the 
patrol unnoticed. At another time gang 
by a corn field he saw at a distance sjme 
soldiers approaching. |He at once jumped 
over the fence into the field and began to 
right up the stocks of corn, as if they had 
fallen apart. The soldiers passed on with- 
out hailing him, supposinjr him to be a 
farm laborer. 

SOLDIERS. 

In the Summer season the British troops 
were out on expeditions to various places 
on the Main; as to Connecticut, Jersey, the 
Carolinas, Georgia, &c., but in the Winter 
they quartered on L. I., and Jamaica had 
her full share. Huts were dug into the 
side hills north of Jamaica, and covered 
with boards, thatch and sods. 

Some soldiers were billeted* on the house 
holders. The first notice they had was : 
" Madam, we have come to take a billet on 
your house," and they chalked on the door 
the number of soldiers each house must re- 
ceive, usually about half the house was ta- 
ken. Then, to save your fences, you must 
keep a big wood pile at the door, for sol- 
diers were very handy with their hatchets, 
and would convert fencing stuff into fuel 
without hesitation. 

*N0TE.— Billeting is so called from the hillet or 
ticket that the soldiers exhibited to the master of the 
house, as their warrant to occupy a part of it. 

The highest officers had a hoase to them- 
selves, especially one that had been de- 
serted by its Whig owner. Thus General 



Skinner had the house of Eev. Mr. Ketel- 
tas. Rev. Mr. Bowdon occupied the Dutch 
parsonage. 

Among British officers who were quartered 
in Jamaica were General Oliver Delancey, 
who had command of all the Island, Gen'l . 
Tryon, LordEawdon, Sir Wm.Erskine, Lord 
Corn wallis. 

The English officers expected the utmost 
reverence from all who came in their 
presence. Even if a farmer should meet 
one in the street and forget to pull off his 
hat he might expect a caning. 

Iii the fall of 1780 one Capt.Crow, a Brit- 
ish half pay officer, sent his servant to 
Derick Amberman's mill for some flour. 
The miller, half joking, bid the servant 
tell his master to send the money with his 
bac next time, as he could trust hiai no 
lon^-^er. This message so enraged the 
officer that he at once tuolinLed His horge 
and rode to the mill, and calling the miller 
out,. beat him on the head with a loaded 
whip till he fell to the earth, when a 
brother officer ran him thro' with a sword. 
While this assault was going on, a 
wagon with several people in it came along 
who would have assisted the miller, but 
the officer bid them in the King's name to 
stand ; and such was their timidity that 
they dared not lift a hand to help him. 
The miller died ot his wounds ; and it is 
not known that the officers were punished. 

Eecruiting offices were established here. 

Soldiers were billeted in almost every 
house in Jamaica. When the soldiers had 
behaved well, had not stolon too much, and 
had treated the farmers civilly, a parting 
address was often presented them. Thus 
26 of the Loyal inhabitants of Foster's 
Meadow and Springfield; being impressed 
with gratitude gave thanks to Tarlton's 
British Legion that wintered there in 
1781-'82. The soldiers not to be outdone in 
courtesy, in theii- reply, wish that the far- 
mers' "fields may yield them a most j)lenti- 
f ul harvest, and that their flocks may bring 
forth in abundance." 

This same Col. Tarlton when leaving 
Suffolk county was guilty of great rapacity 
in carrying off the produce of the whigs. 

He took boards off their barns (Nov. 3, 



1777), to build barracks for his soldiers. A 
marketman had bought 70 fowls which he 
had dressed to carry to market in N. Y. for 
the Christmas Holidays. Tarlton took all 
these from him and also two barrels of new 
cider to wash them down. From another 
farmer he carried off 3 hogs. At one time 
(Oct. 20, 1779), he was out on a party of 
pleasure, shooting grouse, he came to a 
house when seeing a cow at pasture in a lot 
he took her out and had her killed for his 
troops. On another occasion (Oct. 7, 1779), 
he took a heifer and had her killed for the 
use of his "sick soldiers," as he said. 

He took 40 lbs. butter and poultry from 
anotner farmer (Nov. 1777), and would 
give neither receipt nor pa.y. 

In 1780 he took a fat beast worth .£35 and 
Dec. 3, 1778, as he was marching from 
Smithtown to Jericho, he carried off four 
fat hogs from a farmer's pen, worth ;,£30. 

PASSES. 

Persons travelling without a pass were 
liable to be arrested by the British patroles. 
Hence when an officer impressed a farmer 
to go on any errand or business for him, he 
gave him a pass. 

I will read a few of the samples : 

Jamaica, 29th Aug., 1776. 

Permit Isaac Beunet to pass antl repass without 
molestation. Will. Erskine, Brig. Gen. 

Cedar Swamp, June 10, 17S2. 
The bearer, a negro man, being employed in cart- 
ing provisions for the corps of Yagers is permitted 
to pass to Flushing, Bayside, unmolested. 

OcHsE, Lt. Ad'jt Yager's. 
1782, June Sth. 
* Permit the bearer hereof, Silas Pettit, of Hemp- 
stead, to pass to New York and return. By order of 
Ben.t Hewlett, 
Capt. Queens County Militia. 
Hempstead, Jan. 4, 1777. 
Permit the bearer hereof, Mr. Sam'l Pettit, jr., to 
pass without hinderance to New Y'ork Island, and 
thence to N. J., or until he find his wagon and horses, 
now in His Majesty's sernce,aa he has always acted 
as a friend to Gov't. 

S. Clowds, 
I a Justice of the Peace in Queens Co. 

ENJOYMENTS. 

Tho' the farmers and laboring classes 
had to live frugally and on homely fare, 
different was it with the British officers. 
They spent their money freely, and loved 
good eating and drinking. Here is a note 
from an officer to a farmer : 



Sib: If j'ou can get me a good quarter of veal, or 
a good pif, or half ii dozen good chickens, pray do 
so; for I can't live on salt meat every day, and 
You'll oblige Yours, Cor's Van IIokne. 

The standing toast at an officer's table 
was "a long, and a moderate war." 

The out door amusements were fox hunt- 
ing, shooting grouse and other game, horse- 
jacing, cricket matches, hurling matches 
billards, cards &c. They indulged in music 
also, for we read of pianos, harpsichoi'ds, or- 
gans, &c., beside military bands. 

Some of the ofEcers had their ladies with 
them; others married American girls. Some 
of the common soldiers brought their wives 
with them, from the old country, especially 
the Hessians and Scotch, Their children 
were baptized in the Presbyterian church. 
On one occasion the sexton had forgot to 
have the water ready and was going to get 
some, when the mother pulled a bottle out 
of her pocket and said "here's water." This 
was poured into the baptismal basin. 

BALLS AND DANCES. 

WhQe the British ofEcers were in Jamaica 
every occasion for amusement, fun and 
frolic was improved. Thus Oct. 26th was 
the anniversary of the accession of George 
III. to |the throne. So there must be a 
p-ootZ time. Accordingly we read this ad- 
vertisement in the papers (1779) : 

" Tickets for the Accession Ball for the inhabi- 
tants of Jamaica, and the officers quartered there, 
are now being issued. A grand baud of music will 
be wanted." 

1780, March 17.— A munificent enlertaia- 
ment was given by Lord Eawdon, Colonel 
of the volunteers of Ireland, to his regi- 
ment quartered at Jamaica, in honof of St. 
Patrick, the tutelar saint of Ireland. Song 
by Barny Thompson, piper of the regiment! 
Here follow a few lines of the song : 

"So Y'aukees keep, off, or you'll soou learn your 
error, 
For i'addy shall prostrate lay every foe." 

" Hand in hand ! Lot's carol the chorus, 
As long as the blessmgs of Ireland hang o'er us, 
The crest of rebellion shall tremble before us, 
Like brothers, while we thus march hand in hand.' 
TAVERNS. 

There were several taverns in Jamaica, 
and they were well supported, as British 
gold was abundant. They were named 
after the pictures on their sign-boards, as 



the Half ,Moon tavern, the Queen's Head, 
the King's Arms, the Gen. Amherst, &c. 
Here follow a couple of advertisements : 

1779, July 10. — " Wm. Belts has opened the tavern 
(formerly kept by John Comes), the Gen. Amherst, 
where he has proviaed choice liquors. Dinner on 
the shortest notice, and good stabling." 

TT81, May 12.—" Thos. Rochford, of the Queen's 
i Head, has a house of S rooms. He begs leave to in- 
form the ladies and gentlemen that he has an elegant 
garden — a tea garden — with arbors, bowers, alcoves, 
grottos, statues of Naids, dryads, hamadryads, &c., 
&c. He has a stock of good liquors, and can, at any 
* time, furnish genteel dinners. The ladies and gen- 
tlemen who choose to make an excursion from N. 
Y. to the pleasant village of Jamaica (so remarkable 
for the salubrity of its air), may depend on good 
cheer at his house, and the utmost attention." 

The drinks at a tavern were: Jamaica 
and Antigua spirits, sangaree, negus,punch, 
lemonade, slings, (i. e. spirits and water 
sweetened with loaf sugar and nutme? 
gratrd in it) ; for the ladies there would toe 
milk launch, tea, coffee and choco late, and 
wines. The fashion of Brandy drinking 
was introduced by the French officers. 

Note — The officers sometimes had a silver straii ler 
to run the punch through before they drank it. They 
were fond of taking a tiff of punch. 



While the British were in occupation of 
Jamaica, stages to N. Y. were in great de- 
mand, and had odd sounding names. 

1777, Oct. 6.— The new Stage xvagon will 
set out from Hope Mills at 7 o'clock on 
Monday, Wednesday and Saturday morn- 
ings for Brooklyn ferry and return on same 
days. Eor freight or passage apply to the 
public's humble servant, Hope Mills. 

N. B. Proper care taken of all the letters 
and newspapers.* 

1779, May 26.— Loosley & Elms propose 
to run a Caravan- to Jamaica and back to 
Brooklyn ferry on Tuesdays, Thursdays and 
Sundays. 

1781, March.— Benjamin Creed's Jamaica 
and Brooklyn Hall stage Machine, 6/ a pas- 
sage. He will not be answerable for any 
money, plate or jewels, unless they are en- 
tered on his book and paid for. 

1782, Oct. 3.— New Flying Machine on 
steel springs, Thursday, Sunday and Tiies- 
day from Brooklyn at 8 o'clock to Jamaica, 
and return same evening. Breakfasting at 
Brooklyn on stage mornings. 

•Note.— Jamaica had no mail till ISOO, when Eli- 
phalet Wickes was appointed postmaster. 



PERMITS. 

Shopping had to be done in Revolution- 
ary times as well as now. The ladies some- 
times went to the City, tho' there were 
plenty of good stores in Jamaica. But no 
goods could be brought out of N, Y. with- 
out a permit. I have an old one which I 
will read : 

" Pursuant to^llis Excellency, Sir. Wm. Howe's 
proclamation, permission is hereby given to Aaron 
Van Nostrand to cart to Jamaica, one bushel salt, 
he having complied with the directions. 

JouN Nugent, Dep. Supt." 

The following is a list of articles a lady 
had permision to bring out of the city : 

14 lbs. Sugar, 2 galls. Molasses, 

>4 cwt. Kice, 2 galls. Rum, 

10 yds. Calico, 1 lb tea, 

7 yds. Russet, i lb Coffee, 

6 yds. Durant, 1 lb Chocolate, 

1 lb Whalebone, 1 bush. Salt, 

1 lb Pepper, i pair Gloves. 

The restriction put on taking goods out 
of N. Y. was intended to prevent smuggling 
from L. I. across the Sound to Conn. Im*^ 
ported goods were scarce on the Main and 
commanded a high price. 

AARON VAN NOSTRAND 

was an important character in Jamaica,in his 
day. He was a turner by trade, and made 
chairs and spinning wheels. He also acted 
as clerk and sexton of the English Church. 
For 47 years he was grave digger, and rang 
the funeral bells. He was gathered to his 
fathers, Jan. 23d, 1822, at the age of 84. 
He left a record book of all the interments 
in Grace Church yard from 1773 to 1820, 
and of all the funeral bells he rang for 
those buried elsewhere. This book I gave 
to Parson Johnson, but at his death was 
cast aside as useless trash. I give a eample 
of bills from it : 

JAMAici, Oct. 21, 1780. 
GeHcral Delanoey, 

To Grace Church, Dr.: 

To digging a grave for Major Waller £0 10 

•' a funeral bell 05 

" use of the church pall ....'.... 04 

" iuvitintr and attending the funeral! .'.'.'." is 
li76, April 21— Taking up the floor and putiino' it 
down, for Mrs. Coigan (who was 
buried in the church). C shillings 
1776, Oct. 1- Jos. Horstield, halt funeral bell for his 

child, 2s. 6d. 
177S, July 8— ForinvUingto Jos. Read's funeral, and 

frog to the carriers. lOs. 
"our carrers at Ss. each. 



1 (7S, Dec. 25— Charles McEvers, inviting and attend- 
>~^ ing funeral, 12s. ; bull 5s., use of pall Ss.> 

six carriers £2 .a, ' 

In 1781, Aug. 16th, Aaron Van Nostrand 
was directed to warn the inhabitants of 
Jamaica to work on the road leading to 
Flushing, and put it in good order, and to 
fine delinquents 8 shilling a day each. 

In 1782, Oct. 16th, he was appointed 
Marshall of the Police and Inspector of the 
weight and quality of bread in Jamaica, 
with directions to inspect the several bake 
houses once a week in order to examine the 
bread. 

BEAVEK POND. 

The Green southeast side of Beaver Pond 
was a mustering and training ground for the J 
militia. There was a race course around 
it; the circuit being precisely one mile. 

Advertisements like these occur in tho 
New York papers : 

RACES. 

1778, Oct. 14— Purse of 20 guineas, around Beaver 
Pond. 

1779, Oct. 26— Jamaica Races, 3 heats, twice round 
the course at Beaver Pond, each heat. Purse 20 
guineas. 

1782, Oct. 10— A Purse of X50, to be run for around 
Beaver Pond, the best 2 iu 3 one mile heats. One 
guinea entrance. Free for any horse except Mer- 
cury, Slow and Easy, and (Toldtiuder. 

1783, June 28— A purse of 100 guineas is to be run 
for Wednesday next, around Beaver Pond, by the 
noted mare Calfskin, and the noted horse Lofty from 
Boston. 

The Green was the scene of an execution 
Nov. 12, 178-1. Two persons Wm. Guthrie 
and Jos. Alexander had robbed Thos. 
Thorne, of Cow Neck, of a silver tankard * 
and other articles. The old Jail standing 
at Mr. Peck's Pharmacy, had been destroyed 
by the British. So the prisoners were kept 
in the Bridewell, in N. Y. and brought up 
to Jamaica for trial by an escort of Soldiers. 
The Court was held in the Presbyterian 
Church. The convicts were taken to the 
gallows in a wagon each seated on his own 
coffin. Here follow some items of the cost 
of the execution : 
Quco.ns County, to Nchemiah Ilinchnian, Dr.: 

£. 8. 

Formakingthe gallows, and my trouble 16 

Timber and spikes 1 6 

Blacksmith's work 17 

2 carpenters, 4 days each 4 16 

Wagon and horses to take the ealiows lo the 

Pond 4 



Help in raising the gallows u 

Wm./rtiai'8ton, for staijles 18 

2 coffliis, each 16s 1 12 

Hope to hang with, and handkerchiefs to tie 

over their eyes 14 

Sheriff's fees for hangiug 12 

Digging the graves 18 

Kiugiug thebellfor the procession tomoveand 
^xleauiug the church when the trial was held.l 15 

'Note.— This tankard which was the means of 
ccuvictiug the crirainals, was on exhibition at the 
late Queens County Pair. It is yet preserved as au 
heir-loom iu the family of Ueury T. Hewlett. 



For the years of British occiipatiori, 
there were no Courts, but military rule 
prevailed. The King's Justices of the 
Peace held over, and their decisions were 
backed by the soldiery. Court Martials 
were the only tribunal to which the in- 
jm-ed could resort till July 15, 1780, when 
an office of Police (as it was called), was 
established at Jamaica, and George D. 
Ludlow appointed Superintendent. His 
jurisdiction extended over the Island. 
David Colden was his assistant, and James 
Creighton, Secretary. 

MINISTERS. 

In the English church was the Rev. 
Joshua Bloomer. When the Whigs or- 
dered him, in July 1776, to omit the 
prayers for the King, he closed his church 
for 5 weeks, and did not perform services 
till the British got possession. He had 
once been in the army and had been a 
trader and failed, but on receiving a leg- 
acy he paid off all his indebtedness. He 
once married a rich couple, and next day 
some one asked him what fee he got; " O, 
I forgot all about it," (said he). " It must 
be in my other coat pocket." It proved to 
be 3 guineas Avrapped in a piece of paper. 
He died unmarried, June 23, 1790, and 
was buried in the church. 

" He sleeps in chancel, not a stone records 
His name, his fame, his actions or his words." 

In the Presbyterian Church was Eev. 
Mr. Burnet. He was almost the only 
Presbyterian minister who favored the 
British cause. He remained in Jamaica 
all thro' the war and performed religious 
services. He saved the church from dese- 
cration. When the enemy fu-st entered 
Jamaica, some loyal youngsters mounted 



into the bslfry with a rope and saw and 

W M p'^''^.^^^ P°"*' «f t^« steeple, 
but Mr. Burnet hastened to the British 
fipmmandant, and soon had a stop put to 
their proceedings. Yet when peace came 
the Whigs of hie congregation forced him 
.to leave. 

'TFroeligh, the Dutch minister, was a 
rampant Whig, and had to flee when 
the enemy approached Jamaica, and never 
returned to take charge of his church. He 
used to pray that God's lightning would 
strike the British ships and stnk theii- 
soldieis m the sea, so that they micrht not 
set hostile feet on our shores. A more 
moderate Whig minister used to pray that 
the British soldiers might speedily return 
by the way they came. 

CHURCHES. 

The Dutch ^church was taken by the 
British, and used as a store house. The 
pulpit was left, but the pews and floors 
were taken out and used for building huts 
and barracks for the soldiers. Here often 
on Sundays, wagons drove up for the 
weekly allowance of pork, rum, flour, peas, 
&c., which were carted to various parts of 
the Island. 

The I 'utch people worshipped by per- 
mission in the Episcopal church. Their 
own minister had fled from the Island, but 
Domines Eubell and Schoonmaker, from 
Flatbush, occasionally officiated, and bap- 
tized the children. Rubell was a staunch 

I Royalist, and always prayed for King Geo. 

I III., Queen Charlotte, the princes and 
princesses of the Eoyal familv, and the 
Parliament. He was a rotund, jolly little 
parson and was too fond of the pleasures 

of the table. 

JALES BY AUCTION. 

When the evacuation of Jamaica, by the 
British was drawing near auction sales 
were frequent. 

The British government sold warlike 
stores : 

I 1782, July 29. To be sold by auction'at Jaraalcii, 
sundry damaged prevision*, consistiug of pork, 
peas and butler. 

1782 Hep. 25. To be sold at Jamaica, several 
high bred stallions, among them Lotly and Brutus, 
belonging to Briti.«h cavalrv ollicers, both capital 4 
mile horses, also Comiis and 2 or 3 Capital hunters. 
To be seen at Mr. Belts', Queen's Head tavern. 



1783 April 15. To be sold at Jamaica, 40 excel- 
lent dragoon ;horses in hi},'h condition belonging 
to cavalry olflccrs. 

1TS3, Ju]yl9. Several horses of the ITth Light 
Dragoons to be sold at Jamaica. 

— gevei-al stores were set up in Jamaica 
during the war. These also were discon- 
tinued, and sold out at auction, viz. 

Ray and Fitzsimmons. 
^Alex'r Haire who kept the noted White 
store at Little Plains ; Michael Price who 
had the best stand within the British lines, 
went to England. 

Hart and Chaloner failed — whole stock 
sold, consisting of dry goods, china and 
carthern ware and groceries. 

Cunningham, Scott and Co., Alexander 
McAuley and Co., Malcolm Morrison and 
Wm. Lanman. 

Several private families going into exile 
also sold out their furniture, as we see by 
their advertisements : 

1778— Auction, Sept. 21st, of all the household fur- 
niture of Mr. Simeon Lugriu, * Jamaica. Sale to 
begin at 10 o'clock in the morning. 

N.S. To be sold sametime a flue-toned double 
harpsichord. 

'■ e " He was school master at Burton, Nova Scotia 

I from 1799 to 1806. 

1782 Aug 21.— Capt. Wm. Wade, intending for 
Ireland i-er flrst fleet, will sell at vendue a Piano, 
Mahogany chairs, phaeton, &c. 

I 17S3, March 21— Public Auction at the office of Po- 
lice <., mahogany tables and chairs, beds and bed- 
steads, an elegant 8 day clock, glass, china, pewter 
and earthenware, and some plate, kiichen utensils. 
Also a likely negro wench, with her male child and 
a ridmg mare. Geo. Duncan Ludlow. 

17S4, Sep. 17— The household furniture, farming 
utensils, ridmg chair, horses and cows of Joseph 
l^reuoh to be sold at auction. 

FUEL. 

1777,_Nov. 24.— A town meeting was held 
to provide fire wood and other necessary 
articles for the use of the Hospital and 
Guard house in Jamaica ; and it was voted 
(1) that all householders who have soldiers 
billeted on theiu be excepted from contri- 
buting; (2) that the following persons be 
appointed Trustees for the above purpose, 
viz : John Polhemus for the Western dis- 
trict; John Lamberson aud John Doughty 
for Springfield; Jacamiah Valentine'' for 
the Eastern district, and Powe Ditmars for 
the Southern district ; and (3) that Edward 
Willett be appointed to inspect the wood 
and give certificates. 



SLAVES. 

In the disorder and lawlessuess that fol- 
lowed on the British occupation, the slaves 
caught the infection, became insubordinate, 
, and in search of adventures abandoned their 
.masters. Even as early as March 6th 1775, 
,.;TO.find this startling paragraph in the New 
York Mercury. " Several of the negroes at 
Jamaica, L. I., we hear, were last weet 
committed to the gaol there for a conspiracy 
to destroy the whites. Most of the slaves 
for many miles round, 'tis said, are con- 
cerned in this plot." Letting this pass for 
a canard, we give some advertisements of 
the runaways : 

1777, May 2G.— $4 /Jewrtrd-Kau away from Capt. 
1 uos. Harriot, Jamaica South, a negro bred to the 
sea. He had ou a beaver hat cocked, homespuu 
trowsers, short gray coat with brass buttons. Mas- 
ters of vessels are desired not to ship him. 

1779, Feb. 27— $6 Reward— Ran away from Boni 
Smith, Jamaica, Tom. He had ou a gray short coat 
belt waistcoat yellow metal buttons, buff breeches 
and white worsted stockings." 'Tis thought he wli 
try to go out in some privateer. 

17S0, June, i—lwo guineas Reward— Raa away 
from John Amberman, a negro man Will, with thick 
lips. He had on corduroy breeches. 

1781, May 16.— $10 Reward— Ra.n away from Ray 
& Fitzsinimons, a negro Hercules. He had \m vel- 
vet plnsh breeches, and is apt to suitter ou a sur- 
prise ; and with him a large fat young wench, with 
three cuts on each cheek, a slave of Col. Liusing, 
late from Charlestou. 

1782, June 12.— SlOiJewjanZ— Ran away from Dowe 
Ditmars, a negro boy Frank. He took a blue broad- 
cloth coat and jacket, and a new castor hat. It is 
imagined he intends going ou board some privateer 

17^3, Sep. 10.— Ran away from Edward Bardie, 
Sam, a mulatto, who had ou a striped jacket and 
trowsers made of bed lick. He carried off a red 
waistcoat, buckskin breeches and two pair of white 
breeches. 

KOBBEKIES. 

The British commandant did what he 
oould to prevent the soldiers and others 
from plundering at night, and severely 
punished the offenders whenever they could 
be detected. Many farmers, however, could 
find no redress. 

Wm. Ludlum, in the Boglots,was robbed 
of linen, clothing, &c. Some money hid 
behind the chimney escaped the search of 
the robbers, who broke in a panel of the 
door with a huge stone. 

John William son was tortured and robbed 
of ^6300 hid under the hearthstone. The 
same gang the next night broke into "\Ym. 
Creed's house, where a Highlander slept as 
a safe-guard, who beat them off and killed 
one.* 



I The widow Mills' house, upper end of 
j Springfield, was broke into, but she escaped 
I and sounded an alarm. The robbers, tho' 
fired on by the neighbors, escaped. A pa- 
trol was then set from the head of Spring- 
field to Amberman's gate on the Eockaway 
road. 'Squire B. Everett was severely 
abused by robbers before he could be in- 
duced to disclose his hidden treasure, about 
$250. . 

*NoTK — Win. Creed was a Whig and suffered on 
that account. Some British soldiers came to his 
house to driye off his cows. The wife hegged 
the officer to leave them. He replied, " Why, mad- 
am, ihey bcloug to the Crown," and carried thera 
away. At another time the dragoous turned iheir 
horses uito his oats just as it was in head. He had 
much of his wood cut. 

HOESK STEALING. 

_ Beside petty thefts by night, horse steal- 
mg was prevalent. We give a few in- 
stances : 

177T— A guinea reward and charges paid— Stolen 
or strayed in the niglit of Nov. 20, from the pasture 
of Kev. Mr. John Bowden a dark gray mare 

1777, Dec. 6.— $20 Reward— Lost two black mares, 
by Capt. Jacob Smith, of the Ist company of the 1st 
battalion of Delancey's Brigade at Jamaica. 

^fi^^'r'!u\f^-~^i°:^°^ °'' strayed from the pasture 
of Dr. Charlton, a black mare. 

«f^riP"~l? iJeroarrt-Stolen or strayed, May 15, out 
ot Ihos. Harriot's pasture, a mouse-colored cow and 

^S?^""s?' '^"^'^ the broad arrow marked on each. 

J'rrr*?^^ J?ewa)ri— Stolen in the night of Feb 24 
out of Major Thos. Bowden's stable, a sorrel horse' 
his mane Ipng on the mounting side, the property 
of Eev. John Bowden. f f j 

Mr. Bowden was an Assistant Minister 
*^£^^"^^*^y Church, N. Y. till March 14, 
1777, when he removed to Jamaica and oc- 
cupied tho Parsonge house abandoned by 
Froeleigh, the Dutch minister. 

HAT, 

1780, July 1.— Gov. Robertson assures 
the farmers that if they bring to tho Brit- 
ish Commissary two thirds of their first 
grass, they may keep tho other third. Cer- 
tificates of hay and cartage paid for on pre- 
sentation. 

Benj. Nostrand once told me he stood on 
Bett's stoop and counted 110 wagon loads 
of hay passing by one aftei the other to 
New York. 

LOTTERIES. j 

1778— "A lottery for raising .£780 toward ' 
purchasing a glebe for the established; 



church in the parish of Jamaica, will be 
drawn under the inspection of persons of 
character." From the proceeds of this 
lottery, Wm. Creed's farm of 70 acres nearly 
a mile westward of the village was bought. 
"^782, June 3— Tickets for the Brooklyn. 
Hall Charity Lottery for the relief of re 
fugees, poor soldiers &c., for sale at Edward 
Bar din's inn, Jamaica. 

EXCtTESIONS. 

1782 Sept. 18. — An elegant carriage for 
the accommodation of 6 or 8 ladies and 
gentlemen from Mr. Hill's, Brooklyn ferry 
to any part of L. I. for $6 per day. Per- 
formed by Benj. Creed. 

A party of British oificers made a pleas- 
ure excursion to Success Pond when Capt. 
Dickson was drowned while bathing. His 
remains were brought back to Jamaica and 
interred on the east side of Grace Church. 
He is the only British officer who has a 
stone over his grave. 

HORSES. 

1781, May 5. — Col. Hamilton again re- 
minds the Captains of Queens county that 
the horses demanded by the Quartermaster 
General for his Majesty's immediate ser- 
vice, are to be delivered on Wednesday, 
9th inst., at Jamaica, by 9 o'clock in the 
morning. Each company of foot (19 in all), 
is to furnish nine horses, and each troop of 
horse is to furnish four horses. None but 
strong young horses will pass inspection. 

WOOD. 

1780, June 21. — "Agreeable to Governor 
Robertson's proclamation, the Captains of 
Queens county militia will meet on Satur- 
day, at the house of Wm. Betts, tavern 
keeper in Jamaica, at 11 o'clock forenoon, 
to concert measures for furnishing fuel." 
*N. B. Wood cutters will meet with the 
best encouragement by applying to Mr. 
Betts. 

*NoTE.— About 4,500 cords of wood was annually 
required of Queens county for the use of the British 
army in and about New York. 

MILITIA UNIFORM. 

1780, Feb. 7. — Col. Hamilton desires that 
the officers of the regiment of loyal Queens 
county, will provide themselves with a uni- 
form. It is to be a scarlet coat faced with 
blue, with white lining, white waistcoat and 



breeches, and silver buttons ^ith a silver 
epanlet/awell cocked hat ^^tj «^\^<^>^ ^^^t 
tons and loops, and snvcr hat band An.; 
officer appeiring on daty without regi- 
rentds o?side arms may depend on bemg 
fined half a joe for the entertainment of 
their brother officers. 

Samuel Tbedwell, Cleik. 

CHURCH AND KING. 

Col. Graydon, an American prisoner on^ 
parole at Flatbush, got V^^^H^^^^^H' 
cent an invitation to dme with Mr. Alex 
Wallace. He says: "Upon our arrival at 
I Jamaica after putting up our horses at an 
[inn, we took a ramble through the towni 
I before we went to our host's. WehfOi 
! strolled to nearly the end of the Main 
I street, when we observed a soldier coming 
I after us. He said Col. Fanning desired to 
speak with us at his quarters. He want(d 
to know why we were out of our limit?. 
We replied that we had come to dine with 
Mr. Wallace who had got permission for 
us from the Commissary of Prisoners. ! 
The Col. thereupon dismissed us. Mr. 
Wallace entertained us with much hospi- 
tality. He put a glass of wine in the hand 
of his son aged 7 or 8 years, and asked him j 
what ho drank? "church and king," re- 
plied the little fellow. I had contemplated 
becoming an Episcopalian, yet the boy's 
sentiment appeared to me selfish and 
degrading. 

SCHOOLS. 

In ancient times school houses were 
built and the masters supported by volur- 
tary contributions of the neighborhood. 
At the out break of the Revolution proba- 
bly they were clcisod. An old lady once 
told me she was at school when a little 
girl, and the alarm was sounded : "The 
red coats are coming, run, youngsters 
run." That was the last of her going to 
school. We find the following notice of a 
scliool in Jamaica ; but there must have 
been others : 

1777, Jan. 13.— Audrew Wilson is now opening a 
!.'ramm;ir school. Board may be procuriid at Ja- 
maica. 

Simeon Lugrin also taught a school. 
Nath'! Box, kept school in a sort of a log 
house at Springfield, near Decker's store. 



EECRUITING OFFICES. 

As there were many refugees froDi the 
Main without employ, recruiting oiEcas 
were, from time to time, opened in Jamaica. 

1777, Sep. 1.—" The people of the little 
town of Jamaica have contributed <£219 to 
encourage the i aising of a New Corps to be 
commanded by Col. Fanning." 

1778, May 2. — " AH Gentlemen Volunteers 
who are disposed to serve His Majesty in 
Capt. Kinlock's Troop of Light Dragoons, 
are desired to repair to his quarters at Ja- 
maica,, where they will find a horse, cloth- 
ing and accoutrements, and enter on the 
same pay with British Dragoons." 

1779, Nov. 3. — "Loyal refugees are now 
recruiting at Bett's "fevern, Jamaica, by 
Abm. C. Cuyler, who is authorized to raise 
a battalion of 600 men." 

BLACKSMITHS. 

1873, June 7. — The partnership between 
Isaac Koop and Jona. Jones, blacksmiths, 
is dissolved. The shop, a good stand in the 
centre of Jamaica town, and one set of tools 
complete, for sale. 

CONFISCATIONS. 

The farms of the more active Loyalists 
in Jamaica were confiscated: Johannes 
Polhemus' farm of 200 acres was sold for 
Jl,650; George Folliot's farm of 21 acres, 
• sold for ^65000 ; Joseph Ford's lot of 4- 
acres, sold for ,£450 ; George Duncan Lud- 
low's land, 26 acres, sold for ,£265. 

Some of the Loyalists of Jamaica, at the 
approach of peace, went into voluntary 
exile; some to Canada, some to New 
Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Most of them 
returned to their former homes after the 
angry passions of the Whigs had subsided. 
A few, however, breathed their last in a 
land of strangers. 

It required a great many vessels to 
transport the exiles. A fleet of 30 vessels, 
more or less, usually sailed under a con- 
voy, for fear of losing their way. Friends 
and relatives usually formed themselves 
into companies and settled together. Here 
follows an advertisement of a Jamaica 
Association. 

"1783, Sep. 13th. The Royalista enrolled in 
Capt. Johu Polhemns' company for Annapolis 
Royal, are informed that the ship is ready to receive 
them. The passage will be at the expense of the 
Crown." 



Capt. Polhemus kept a tavern at whkt is 
now Woodhaven. When Lis friends ad- 
vised him not to go in exile but remain on 
his farm. He replied, I would rather stay 
here but I dare not run the risk. After 
some time he, however, found his way 
back to his old home and died in peace. 

It seems by the annexed notice that the 
slave liked the land of the exile better 
than his master did : 

" One guinea rtward. Kun away from 
Johannes Polhemus, living at Jamaica, 
(Jan. 2, 1786), a negro man Brock. He is 
supposed to be lurking in N, Y. till he can 
get a passage to Nova Scotia. Masters of 
vessels are forbid to carry him away." 

TRESPASS ACT. 

After the British evacuated our Island 
some of the Whigs sued the Loyalists who 
had taken their property for the use of the 
British army. The Legislature had also 
passed a law that in suits for trespass, no 
one should plead that he was forced to do 
it by the order of the enemy. In 1784, 
] May 22, Peter Fredrickson took advantage 
of this Act, and sued Joseph Oldfield 
before Benj. Everett,- Esq., at Nathaniel 
Box's inn at Springfield, for taking from 
him a gun and cutlass, damage .£10. I 

Mr, Oldfield plead that he took them j 
under orders from Lord Cornwallis, that ' 
L. I. was then under control of British 
troops, and that the 6th Article of the 
Definitive Treaty of peace was a bar. 
The plea was over-ruled, and verdict given 
for plaintiff. A certiorari was, however, 
granted June 5th. 

Among a great many other suits were : 

1785.— John I Skidraore vs. Samuel Simmons. 
Abm. Ketteltas vs. Nicholas Ludlum. 
Ephraim Baylis vs. same. 

Increasft Carpenter vs. Stephen Carman. 
Abm. Ketteltas vs. Richard Belts. 

CELEBKATION OF PEACE. i 

1783. on Monday, Dec. 8, the glorious I 
event of peace was celebrated at Jamaica 
by the Whigs of Queens county. At sunrise 
a volley was fired by Continental Troops 
stationed in town, and the 13 stripes were 
displayed on a Liberty Pole which had 
been erected for the purpose. At 4 o'clock 
a number of the gentlemen of the county, 
and officers of the army who were in the 



neighborhood, sat down to an elegant din- 
ner attended by the music of a most excel- 
lent band formerly belonging to the Line 
of this State. After drinking 13 toasts, 
the gentlemen marched in column, 13 
abreast in procession thro' the village, pre- 
ceded by the music and saluting the colors 
as they passed. 

"In the evening every house in the village 
and for several miles around was most bril- 
liantly illuminated ; and a ball given to the 
ladies concluded the whole. It was pleas- 
ing to view the different expressions of joy 
and gratitude apparent in every counten- 
ance, on the occasion. In short the whole 
was conducted with the greatest harmony, 
and gave universal satisfaction. The 
church bells were rung and there was a 
free table for the populace. Such Loyalists 
as were to be found in the streets met with 
rough handling. 

An address to the Governor, Goo. Clin- 
ton, was also agreed on. 

Gov. Clinton appointed Thursday, Dec. 
11th as a'Day of Thanksgiving for the es- 
tablishment of Independance. 

GEORGE CLINTON 

ranked very high in the affections of our 
ancestors. He was Governor of this State 
during the Eevolution, and died Vice-Presi- 
dent of the United States. He gave $25 
toward building the first academy in this 
village. 

He and Washington rode at the head of 
the army, side by side, into New York 
when the British evacuated it. 

I will finish this narrative with a few lines* 
of an ode on that occasion : 

" They come ! They come, the heroes come 
With rattling ftfe aud thunderiug drum ; 
Their ranks advance in bright array, 
The heroes of America. 

He comes ! 'tis mighty Washington, 
Words fail to tell all he has done ; 
Our Hero, Guardian, Father, Friend ! 
His fame can never — never end. 

He comes ! He comes ! 'tis Clinton comes ; 
Justice her ancient seat resumes; 
From shore to shore let shouts resound 
For Justice* comes with freedom crowned." 

*NoTK. — Our forefathers were anxious to have 
Courts of Justice re-established speedily, for when 
the British troops withdrew there was no way for 
arresting aud punishing evil doers. The local mili- 
tia^tood guard over prisoners till order was restore! . 



REPLY TO MR. COOPER. 

Gentlemen :— The letter of Mr. Cooper 
would allow of a wide range of remark, but 
throwing aside all minor considerations : 

The question at issue is— Did Oliver De- 
Lancey, junior, strike General WoodhuU, 
after his surrender? 

For the affirmaiive, we have the declara- 
tion of Colonel Troup, who heard the story 
from WoodhuU's own lips, while they were 
fellow-prisoners. Troup says : " The Gen- 
eral told him he was taken by a party of light 
horse, under Captain Oliver De Lancey ; 
that on being asked by said captain if he 
would surrender, he rej lied in the affirma- 
tive—provided he would treat him like a gen- 
tleman, which Captain De Lancey assured 
him he would ; whereupon the general de- 
livered his sword; and that immediately 
after, the said Oliver De Lancey, jr., struck 
him ; and others of his party, imitating his 
example, did cruelly cut and hack him in the 
manner he then was." 

This is clear, definite and positive, and 
given under the solemnity of an oath. 

Troup was a graduate of Columbia Col- 
lege, a Lawyer by profession : of most^ re- 
' spectahle standing in society, the friend and 



associate of Jay and tJamilion ; a very con- 
scientious man, of sterling piety, who after- 
wards was a Judge, member of our Legisla- 
ture and '-varden of Trinity Church. 

And yet, Mr. Cooper, by implication, as- 
sails the character ol' such men as Troup and 
Morris, in order to weaken the force of this 
deposition. 

For the negative, we have : 

1st. Mr. Cooper's disbelief that any Brit- 
ish officer, and especially De Lancey, would 
do such an act; because fie was born and 
educated a gentleman, and was a soldier o£ 
established reputation,* and 4hat the deed in- 
volves treachery, cowardice and barbarit)'. 

To this it may be replied, that Mr. Cooper 
forgets that the gentler feelings are all stilled 
in a civil war; and that although De Lancey 
was a regular, yet he had been so long in 
this country, and heard so much of the wrongs 
his connections had sufTered, as to have his 
feelings wrought up to the highest degree of 
bitterness against the rebels, He had him- 
self been forced to quit Boston in* 1776. 
John De Lancey had, in 1775, been so ex- 
asperated at General Scoit, a member of the 
Provincial Congress, as to shake his fist in 
his face ; and again, this John's goods had 
been distrained for refusing to do military 
duty. Ste{)hen De Lancey had been sent 
to Hartford jail. James De Lancey's house 
in the Bowery had been taken for a rebel 
hospital; and the mansion of the elder Oli- 
ver, at Bloorningdale, was allowed for a like 
purpose. 



Mr. Cooper aggravates the barbarity of tho 
deeJ, to sliow its improbability; but let us 
consider a little. 

General VVoodliuU was president of the 
convention that had heaped so many wrongs 
on ihe De Lancey family, and was the first 
poiiiical officer of note that had fallen in the 
enemy's hands. What, then, more natural, 
or probable than that De Lancey should 
exact a humiliating recantation from him of 
saying, " God save the king !" and if Wood- 
hull, thinking each blow would be the last, 
preferred hacking to recanting, what matter- 
ed it to Oliver? 

All historians agree in fixing the act on 
an officer. An old man, aged 85, now living 
(and wiio saw WoodhuU with his head tied 
up and his arm bandaged) says " the oncers 
did it." If done by an officer, why not De 
Lancey, rather than Baird, for the above rea- 
sons ? In Wood's Long Island, page 53, 
edition of 1824. he says: " WoodhuU was 
suffered by the officers to be so cut and man- 
gled, that he died of his wounds a few days 
after his capture." 

2d. The second point for the negative is 
Mr. Cooper's suddenly revived memory of a 
long forgotten conversation with a Majrr Dj 
Lancey, in which, referring to this charge of 
De Lancey 's wounding WoodhuU, he says, 
"Oliveralways indignantly denied it." If so, 
whv did not Judge Jones say as much? 
Nosv, Mr. Cooper's memory, to say the least, 
is a very convenient one. It recalls to mind, 
at the precise time of need, just so much as 
is wanted, without varying over half a dozen 
words! But does not Mr. Cooper ask too 



much of us? He should bear in mind that 
he once gave as authority a conversation 
wherein ii was said, "that the father of Oli- 
ver De Lancey died in command, on Long , 
Island, about 'the middle of the war, and 
was interred in the family vault in Trinity | 
Church ;" an error I exposed by quoting the 
obituary notice of his death at Beverly, En- 
olaiid, in 1785. 

3d. When Mr. C. refers to Wood and 
Thompson, historians of Long Island, as 
giving an account disagreeing with Colonel 
Troup's deposition, he is bound to show that 
they had it before them [which they had not,] 
and on due examination, rejected it. 

4ih. But Mr. Cooper's main reliance is on 
Judge Jones's MS., which is as ambiguous, 
when Mr. C. mounts the tripod, as ever were 
the responses of the Delphian oracle. ' In 
my letter of May 15th, I pointed out several 
mis-statements, in order to show that Mr. C. 
had overrated its value. J. will now cite 
other passages. "The General after his 
surrender," says the MS., "favored by the 
darkness of the night, attempted to make his 
escape ; but being discovered by the sentries, 
while attempting to get over a board fence, he 
received several strokes from their broad- 
swords, particularly one upon the arm.'' — 
The meaning evidently is, that, WoodhuU 
was captured without bodily injury, and put 
under guard for the night; but taking advan- 
tage of the darkness, he attempted to escape, 
and was wounded by the pursuing sentinels. 
Now (leaving Troup's deposition out of the 
question) this is contradicted, by all tradition; 



2d, by Wood and Thompson, and 3d, by the 
testimony of William Warne, a loyalist, who 
said, while Woodhult was yet living, that he 
was wounded at Carpenter's, when first made 
prisoner. Now Judge Jones wrote his his- 
tory, as Mr. C. thinks, after the war, that is, 
more than seven years after the event. — 
What may he not have forgotten in that time? 
On the other hand, Warne was on the spot, 
heard his story from the light horse, and told 
it within a fortnight after, when it was re- 
duced to writing. 

.\I1 other accounts represent De Lancey 
as present at the wounding of Woodhull; but 
if ht was wounded when endeavoring to es- 
cape, (as the MS. says.) how could he be 
present? He must have been abed, or at his 
quarters, and could not have come up with 
the sentinels at the instant they cut him. 

Again, the ms. says — ''The light horse 
were sent to Jamaica the evening after the 
battle, as an escort to some prisoners taken 
in the action." Now the action was near 
Brooklyn, about ten miles west of Jainaica, 
so that the prisoners, according to the ms. 
were sent ten miles away from the army, out 
into an exposed village in the enemy's coun- 
try, where a hostile force might be momen- 
tarily expected; for Col. Livingston was in 
Suffolk County, marching westward. Majors 
Brush and Smith also had ihe militia muster- 
ed at '; Huntington, ready to inirch. Gov. 
Trumbull had been requested to send over 
forces, and the British expected Gen. Lee to 
land at Hellgate to take them in the rear. — 
Mr. Coi'per, however, interprets the ms. as 



saying the light horse were sent to escort 
prisoners (taken in the action )/rom Jamaica. 
Still, this does not help the diiriculty, for if 
the prisoners taken in the action were at 
Jamaica, they must have been escorted there. 
But Troup says, (as is reasonable and natur- 
al,) thai the prisoners were kept near the 
main body of the enemy. 

That the light horse were sent expressly 
to capture WoodhuU's party, f and prevent 
his driving off the live stock, which they so 
much needed, is highly probable in itself, 
and i-? confirm.ed by all tradition. Wm. 
Howard, aged 85, says : "On the night be- 
fore the battle, the light horse (who acted as 
scouts to the enemy,) heard where Wood- 
hull's party lay, and started in quest of him; 
but on hearing an exaggerated account of 
his force, they returned." The day after 
the battle, they set out again, and entered 
Jamaica village at tea-time, enquiring for 
Woodhull. They surrounded the house of 
Robert Ilinchman, a noted VVhig, who ran 
out of the back door but was caught and 
dragged to the front of his house, where he 
was seen by his daughter, on his knees, 
imploring mercy with outstretched hands, and 
the soldiers flourishing their swords over him. 
Perhaps Judge Jones may have engrat''ted 
these circumstances on the story of Wood- 
hull's capture. 

The MS. also says, Woodhull was com- 
mander-in-chief of all the militia of Lono- 
Island; whereas his command was limited to 
Suffolk and Queens. 

Judging from tlie extract, I should suppose 



Judge Jones's knowledge of local revoluUon- 
ary incidents (like Mr. Cooper's), might do 
very well for fire-side conversation, but is 
hardly accurate enough, I npprehend, to place 
him in company with Judge Marshall. 

I will no'v point out a mistake or two of 
Mr. Cooper's: The battle of the 26th should 
be 27ih. He also says "Oliver De Lancey 
became major in 1776, and lieutenant-colonel 
a year or two later;" whereas he was not 
made major till 1778, nor lieulenani-colonel 
till 17«I. 

As many of Mr. Cooper's objections have 
been met by the restoration of the omitted, 
portions of Troup's affidavit, I will here con- 
clude, hoping Mr. Cooper's avocations will 
allow him a few moments' leisure to reply to 
my letter of the 15th ultimo, as I am as an- 
xious to arrive a: the truth as Mr. Cooper 
can possibly be.j; 

Very respectfully yours, 

Henry Onderdonk, Jr. 

Jamaica, June 17, 1848. 

*Mr Cooper in sptting off Delancey's character says : 
he lose to the rank ot Barrack Master General ef the 
British Empire ; but he fi.rgetsto add that he was de- 
prived of it on a charge of dejatcation 

fThe British Military Calender says expressly : The 
17ih Light Dragoons was detached in pursuit of the 
Atr.erican General WoodhuU's Corps of Cavalry col- 
lected at Jamaica, where Sir Wllidin Ertkine at the 
head oftue 17tli Dngoons and 71st foot, defeated that 
corps, taking Woodhull and many prisoners. 

jMr. Cooper has never replied to this letter. H. O. 
Jr. 



OBITUARY. 

Died.— At Manhasset, L. I., 8th of Ferbruary, Joseph 
Onderdonk, in the 86th year of his age. /S^S-X>^ 

He was but little over ten years of age at 
the time of the Declaration of Independence ; 
a copy of which in the form of a handbill was 
sent to his father (who was a Whig Commit- 
tee man) and which he read aloud to his fa- 
ther's family as they were called together for 
that purpose, after the noontide repast. The 
events of the Revolution were deeply impressed 
on his mind. He saw the first movements for 
organizing whig committees and diffu.sing whig 
principles. 

After the enemy got possession of the Island, 
he saw the British Light Horse when they rode 
up to his father's house and carried him oft a 
prisoner to New York- He also walked amid 
the ruins of the great fire in New York in 1776 
and saw the naked walls of Trinity Church as 
they stood black and crumbling from the effects 
of heat. He heard while at work in the corn- 
field the booming of the cannon at the battle 
of White Plains. Here collected being in the 
harvest field in 1778 when his uncle rode in 
with an " Extra Gazette" containing the news 
of the battle of Monmouth- In the hard winter 
of 1780 he saw the British outposts as they 
were marching thro' the snow knee deep, they 
having been called in from the east end of 
Long Island for the defence of New York City 
whose harbor was for weeks bridged over with 
ice At the time Burr's store at Manhasset 



Valley was robbed and the owner shot, he was 
patrolling with a gun, and saw the whaleboats 
as they quietly dropped down the bay, and he 
came in contact with one of the crew who es- 
caped with a wound in the chin. He had often 
to serve as wagoner to the British forces in 
carting wood and warlike stores, and was once 
sent with his father's team to transport sol- 
diers' rations from the Dutch cliurch in Jamaica, 
to Col. Wormb's Quarters at WeMburj. At 
the Evacuation of the Island in 1783, he assis- 
ted in removing the baggage of the camp- 
followers, from Success Church to Newtown. 
He witnessed the execution at Jamaica of the 
two men who robbed the house of Thomas 
Thorne at Manhasset. He used often to repeat 
in the Dutch language portions of the prayer 
of the Rev. Mr. Rubell, a Royal Dutch 
Domine, who in his intercessions never forgot 
^' our good King, George the third, his Queen 
Charlott, and the Princesses of the Royal fam- 
ily, as well as the Lords of the upper and low- 
er Houses of Parliament." — He also was one 
of the spectators of the execution of Nathan 
Hale (who was captured near Huntington) 
from whose lips he heard a circumstantial ac- 
count of Hale's last moments. He was present 
at the Inauguration of Washington as first 
President of the United States. His experi- 
ence and observation of British insolence dur- 
ing the armed occupation of Long Island left 
an impression on his mind which length of 
years could never obliterate. 

At his funeral the Rev. N. E. Smith of 
Brookville, delivered a very appropriate dis- 
course from Genesis, xxv, 8 : " Then Abra- 
ham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old 
age— an old man, and full of years ; and was 
gathered to his people." „ .^ , j , ■ 



Flower Hill SchooL j 

" Dear the school boy spot ikiA-^cJ-zL^ 

We ne'er forget, though theref we are forgot." 

The origin of this school is y i ^o ' ted in the mists 
of antiquity. In 1721 George Sheresby was school- 
n aster on Cow Necli. Rem Remsen, Sr. (who set- 
tled here in 1706) had given for the use of a school- 
master to reside on a lot of 15 square rods adjoin- 
ing the N. W. corner of Jacobus Hegeman's 
orchard. On Nov. 1st. 1745, while John Clark was 
teacher, this site wa^ exchanged for a lot of the 
"same bigness" on the N. W, comer of Jacobus 
Hegeman's field, adjoining Andries Onderdonk's 
S. W. corner, upon the highway. There being no 
school laws then, the ownership was vested in 
a voluntary association, whose names were : Benj. 
Akerl/, Oliver Baxter, George Baker, Sr. and Jr., 
Jos. Baker, Caleb-Cornwell, Sr. and Jr., Mary and 
Sam. Cornell, Sam, Jos., Jer. and Trustem Dodge, 
Dan. HejjCman, Dan. Jr. and jos. Kissam, Jos. and 
Wm. Latham, Joseph Mabbet, Andries Onderdonk. 
Sr. and Jr., Sam Pearce, John Sands Sr. and Jr., 
Edward and Sam Sands, Robt. Sutton, Ri. and St. 
Thorne and John Vanderbilt. 

In 174S-9 "mcholas Barrington was schoolmaster 
at Flower Hill." He could "teach youth ts write 
the usual hands, arithmetic in both kinds, with the 
extraction of the roots, as also navigation and 
merchants' accounts after the Italian manner." 
Surveying and navigation were well taught then 
for there were always some boys at school who 
expected to follow a sea faring life. The teachers 
were often from the old country and unmarried 
They usually boarded round. 

They came and went. In April, 1763, Thos. Dodge 
and Petrua Onderdonk advertise in the N. Y. Ga- 
zelle for a man well qualified to teach a school on 
Cow Neck, and they say he may be settled with a 
reasonable support. And again we find another 
notice in the N. Y. Mercury of April, 1773, such as 
this : 

"Teacher Wanted. — Any person well qualified to 
teach sctiool, by being well recommended, may 
hear of very good encouragement by applying to 
Andries Hegeraan or Daniel Kissam, Cow Neck. 

This was for years the only school on the Neck. 
In 1774 the teacher was Elbert Hegeman, Sr., more 
familiarly called "Master Elbert." He took the 
school on his own account keeping anight school 
also during the winters. His patrons were from 
1774 to 1778 and onward : 



Thos. Appleby, 
Beiij. Acei-ly, 
John Bashford, 
Widow Baxter, 
\Vm Buker, 
J Jill Burtis 
Joshua Coinell, 
Olia. & Peter Demilt, 
Win. Doty, weaver, 
AnJries liegeman, 
Jona. Hutcliiiigs. 
Abigail Judkiiis, 



John Mitchell, 
Jacob & St. Mott, 
Ham Koe, 

Adriaii& Peter Onderdonk 
Joshua Pine 
George Rapelye, 
John & Ri. Sands, 
Capt. Sandford, 
John Stocker, 
Martin Schenck, 
Jos. & Tim. Smith,! 
John, Ben j., Rich., Mary 

Jos., Benj , & Dan Kissam Sands, 

Lambert Moore Esq., Capts. St. Thorne Sr. & Jr. 

VVm. Morrell, 

Master Elbert was probably among the most able ' 
faithful, and accomplished teachers. He excelled 
in figures, surveying, and navigation, so that his 
scholars came across lots 3 or 4 miles from the 
Head and Bottom of the Neck, and some took board 
n the neighborhood. 

Among the earlier teachers whose names have 
escaped oblivion -wercMaster Russel, John Parmer, 
Jacobus Hegcman . After the Revolution school 
was kept at Sam. Wood's, east side of the Meek, 
near the steamboat dock. Here David Underhill, 
and Simeon Strickland taught. A school house was 
also set up down the Neck in the rear of Dan. Bo- 
garfs, since Jos. O. Hegeman's homestead, where 
Miss Searing, Henry Mott, and others taught till 
it was burnt down about 1810, and the scholars 
came again to Flower Hill till 1813, when a school 
district was formed and a house erected on the site 
of the present Free Church. Its teachers from 1813 
to 1835 in succession were: Aavon Simouson, James 
Gallup, Sands Fish, Norman Smith, D. E. Allen, 0. 
G. Weeks, Israel H. Baxter, Jacob Titus, Horatio 
Griffin. 

About 1779 a school house was erected in Man- 
hasset Valley on a corner lot opposite Dr. Chas. 
Mitchell's. Among its teachers were Mr. Pro^t, 
Abm. laton, Jas. Doch^rty, Arthur Green, Aaron 
Ely, John Dick, Thos. Rheay, Hugh Lyndon. 

AtRoslyn the teachers were Owen Ellis, in 1*8;1, 
James DeHanna, in 1796, Jas. Douglas, Sam. Paget 
Wm. Fowler, Joshua Smith, W'm. Mitchell. 

In 179oand four years after the State gave some 
money to the schools; but it was not till 1813 that 
the school fund was regularly distributed, and 
North Hempstead divided into eleven districts. 

From 1805 to IS 7 Elbert Hegeman,Jr., took the 
school on liis own account at $1 and afterwards at 
$1.25 per quarter of 13 weeks, and a holiday every 
other Saturday. Same boys paid by the day. Here 
follow the names of his scholars, Ave of whom are 
yet living. 



/SI- 



Israel and Violetta Baxter; Geo. Bennett, son of 
John; Henry, John, and Roliert Blades; Henry 
and Gitty Brinckerhotf, ch. of Abm.; Leonard, 
Deborah, David, John S. and Jas. R. Bartis; Rich, 
and Caty Corley, children of Henry; Esther Dur- 
ling; Thos. Francis; Dan, Geo, W., Mary. Grace 
Hegeman, Susan and Sam Hatchings, ch. of John; 
Wm.. Martha, Dan. Ireland, ch. of Daniel; Jacob 
and Elizabeth Jacobs, ch. of Mary; Silvanus Law- 
rence; Samuel and Wm. Marston, sons of Law- 
rence; Sam. Miller; Sam L. Mitchell, son of George; 
Adrian, Geo., Andrew L., Eliz., Peter and Abm. S. 
Onderdonk; Rem, Minnie 8., Cathrlna, Dan. and 
Alletta Rapelye; VVm.and Chas. Ruffle; Augustus 
C, Matilda Ann and Jos. Sands; Rebecca Schenck 
from John Mitchell's; Sam. Sopus; Benj. South, son 
of Ezekiel; John, Phebe and Eliz. Smith ch. of Mer- 
rlt; Maria Thorne dau. of Sarah; Townsend Valen- 
tine; Elbert and Smith Van Cott, ch, of David; Han- 
ka Van Riper, John Watts; Ambrose, Peggy ^and 
Maria Weeks, ch. of Daniel; Francis Wright. 
There were three teachers of the name of Elbert 
Hegeman. 

On Tuesday, April 25, 1S09, "Henry began school.'. 
So my mother wrote in the almanac. I was prob- 
ably escorted thither by our mulatto servant girl. 
Mary Kelley, whose indentures required that she 
should have schooling sutflcient to read her Bible. 
The building stood on an unshaded lot open to the 
road and 16 by 13 feet and 9 feet in the stud. It was 
not painted without nor pla.stered within. It had 
four small square windows of nine panes each with 
shutters. The wide open fire place and chimney on 
the road side had been taken down and a close iron 
stove setup in the centre of the room. Still later 
(say 1813) the house was shingled and painted red, 
the old back-wall of the fire place taken out and a 
window inserted so that scholais could see those 
passing on the road. There was a front and a rear 
door for ventilation in summer. The room was so 
open that in winter the large fires charred and 
sometimes set ablaze the flooring overhead from 
the heat of the stove pipe. A few cups of water 
sufficed to stop the burning. 

There was a double table of thick chestnut plank 
much haclied by the knives of mischievous boys. 
The long benches were of stout, heavy timber 
hewed and planed. There was a lower bench with- 
out a table for the little ones. The girls sat by 
themselves on the v^-est side of the room. Their 
seats and table had been newly made of pine. The 
scholars had to clamber on the seats and desks to 
hang up their dinner baskets and hats on nails. 



v- 



t** <«-^ 



/ 



Thi^rcwas no outhouse of any Kuid, ami me 
wood pile was exposed to all vreathers. The parents 
brought wood in proportion to the children they 
pent. Tills was cut and split by the larger boys 
and carried in by the smaller. The first boy who 
came in the morning kindled the Are from yester- 
day's embers well covered with ashes in the stove. 
If, however, the Are had gone out he borrowed a 
coal from Buperv'sor liegeman's. 

The larger girls swept the school once^ a week, 
and once in a while on Saturday afternoons there 
was a grand, jolly scrubbing time, the boys fetch- 
ing water from the Supervisor's pump and the 
girls brushing the floor with a broom. 

There was a pail of water with a tin cup for 
thirsty scholars. Two boys would fetch water in a 
pail suspended between them from a stick. 

There was no "intermission." A scholar would 
say: "Master, may I go out ? ' He then turned a 
block or tablet that hung at the door, marked "IK', 
on one side and "OUT" on the other. 

Dilworth's spelling book, published in 1740, had 
given way to Webster; but his arithmetic, publish- 
ed in ITe.j still held its ground agaist Dab^ll, pub- 
lished in ISOO. The reading books were the Testa- 
ment, Bible, Preceptor and Monitor. A sheet or 
two of foolscap folded once and stitched in a brown 
paper cover formed our writing book, wherin the 
master set copies (unless we had copy slips); first 
straight marks, then pot-hooks, then large letters, 
then join-hand; anil proud were we when we got 
into fine hand. The master also with a leaden 
plummet ruled our books and made pens from 
quills that we brought from liome. He str(^pped 
his knife on a leather-covered book. A bottle of 
ink Avas made from Walkden's ink powder, each 
writer contributing a cent. 

The advanced arithmeticians after showing their 
sums on the slate to the master set them down in a 
cyphering book made of a quire or so of paper 
stitched in a pasteboard cover. Though we had the 
Rules already printed in the "Assistant," they were 
copied at length into the cyphering book. 

Spelling (out of \Vebster)'n\'as'"-the last exercise 
every day, and almost the only study that excited 
ambition and rivalry. The boys and girls stood in 
long rows, going up and do wn . The old pronunci- 
ation (at least in common conversation) had hardly 
got out of vogue. We often heard marcy for mer- 
cy, vartuous for virtuous, nater for nature, resons 
for raisins, &c. 



r 



j Some teachers required the little boys when they 
I came up to say their lessons to malie their man 
j ners, that is, a small sudden nod or jerk of the 
head. 

The owner of a Dwight's (Seography (a reading 
book) was envied by his less favored schoolmates 
Grammar, there was none. 

The school went in at 8 in summer and 9 
in winter. We had an hour's noon-spdl an« were 
let out at 4. We carried in our dinner-basicets a few 
slices of ry brea d and butter with cake or smoke d 
beef, ail wrapped up in a white dinner clolh, never 
sharing our meals with one another. In winter our 
pockets were well filled with apples. 

The earlier teachers used the rod freely, and it 

was acquiesced in as a matter of course and a necesj 

j sarymeans of education; for the dull boy and the 

I bad boy v.-ere punished alike. It was truly said of 

I a successful teacher of that day: "Hewringeth the 

t boybytheearsand giveth him a strype on the 

hand with a ferule, he beateth him smartly with a 

rod. So with sharp correction he giveth him full 

instruction in the lower sci'^nces." My ears have 

been soundly boxed for not being able to do my 

sums. 

Theteachersnpto the time I was kept home to 
work on the farm were Ben j. Sands, Hugh Lyn- 
don, Ezra Lfe, and Mr. Qriswold. Mr. Sands had 
the school there three differ-nt times. He was a 
j good hearted, worthy man, and unmarried. He 
used the hickory freely. He would say with grim 
humor to a delinquent: "Come up here George, and 
let me take the dust out of your coat." Then he 
laid the stick across his shoulders. At another 
time he would call out to Horatio Q.: "Lookout, 
General Gates, or Burgoyne will liave you " Mr. 
Sands was partial to pleasant girls, overlooking 
their faults, readily showing them their lessons, 
placing a pear on their desks, or challenging them 
to run a race with liimfor apaper of raisins. To 
the less favored he was severe. I have seen four 
large girls standing up by his desk as a punish- 
ment, one of whom lie had boxed on the ears. They 
were all in tears. He also gave the boys pet names. 
One he called "Jeti'erson," another "lawyer," an- 
other "doctor," &c. He died July 20, 1843, aged 85. 
Bequiescat in pacf. K^^tf^' 

Mr. lyndon was a good teacher, but in years. He 
wore corduroy breeches fastened at the knee. He 
kept blue Monday and seldom staid long in a place. 
His most angry epithet was, "You consummate 
villain." 



Mr. L -e was the first toacher from New Englancl. 
He required us to call him Mister, and not Master, 
He introduced new and vJiried modes of punish- 
ment as the ferule, standing on one foot, holding 
out a stick at arm's length, &c. He set apart Satur- 
day afternoons for speaking single pieces, and 
dressed the hoys in character. 

Mr. Qriswold taught a night Fchool in 1816-7, each 
t)oy bringing his own candle. The scholars being 
overgrown and disorderly the school was discon- 
tinued. 

ginging school was sometimes kept here by itin- 
erant masters. The Aur&iyan association of which 
John Kissam was president and Singleton Mitchell 
secretary, met here on Saturday evenings frcm 
18C0 to 1805. The questions debated were of a prac 
ticalsortas: "Which is the most pi'ofitable, ten 
acres of wheat, or corn, or grass "i" "Is Cow Neck 
more valuable in its present condition than when 
it was covered with wood ?" "Has music any effect 
on the mind ? If bo. what ?" 

When any respectalile person rode by us on the 
road we formed in line an i made our obeisance. 
The civility was usually returned with a smile and 
some good natured roraark. The noon spell was 
taken up in playing ball, pitching quoits, Jumping, 
hoppnig, racing, playing horse, "I.spy," "How many 
miles to Barnabas ?'' "Puss in the corner,'' "Here 
comes a great Lord out of Spain," &c. The girls in 
ummer often rambled along the hedges for sweet 
brier, mint, birch l)avk to chew, &c. Sometimes 
they had their play-houses and made calls on each 
other. The boys in winter snow -balled each other, 
slid on the ice or .skated on Minn/e Onderdonk's 
pond. Here Rulef Schenck broke in up to his 
shoulders, to our great alarm. 

Umbrellas were not used. So little feir had the 
gir's of being wet that after a shower they would 
go in the road and make mud pies There were 
few pocket-handkerchiefs, esjiecially among the 
boys, who wiped on their coat sleeves. Shoes were 
worn covered with leggins to keep out the snow. 
One youngster was nick-named "Boots," he being 
the only boy who wore them. 

There was no changing of school books. They 
descended from the older to the younger till worn 
out by use. Indeed, books of any kind were so 
scarce that boys often read the sums in the arith- 
metic for pastime. 

In l&ll the site of the school house was ex- 
changed for the present one, and the old building 
sold to Charles Baxter. _ _ O. 

ilJiiXUY ONDliUDONK. .IK. 



Ja 



/^^^>Tat-f-- 



Christ Church Acaclemy, Man- 
hasset. 



; 



"Those that he loved so long and sees no more, 
Loved and still loves (not dead, but gone before), 
He gathers round him and revives at will 
Scenes of hla life that breathe enchantment still." 



For years the people of Cow Neck (now Manh as. 
set) and its vicinity who desired a more thorough 
education for their children tha n the common 
schools afforded, wei'e obliged to send them abroad 
or else have private tutors in their families. 

The Rectors of St. George's church, Hempstead 
viz: Seabury, Cutting, Moore and Hart had from 
1762 to about 1816 kept in succession a classical 
school and taken in boarders. John Henry Hentz 
also taught French there; and Rev, Timothy Clowes 
had an Academy of 60 scholars in 1816 and after. 
An academy had been opened at Jamaica in 1793 
another in Oysterbay in 1802, and Hamilton Hall in 
Flushing in 1806. Young ladies who wished to 
learn French, music, drawing, painting, embroi- 
dery, &c., were sent to fashionable finishing 
schools in New York and Brooklyn. 

In the spring of 1818 a public meeting was held 
at Allen's inn to take into consideration the estab- 
lishment of an academy nearer home. It was for- 
cibly addressed by Daniel Kissam, Jr. ; and after 
debate a general subscription was started. But at 
last it was concluded to leave the ownership and 
management of the Institution in charge of /he 
Vestry of Christ church on whose land it was to be 
set. 

In the fall as I was gathering apples in the or- 
chard, my father came to me and asked if I would 
like to RO to the new academy. I gladly accepted 
the offer. So on Monday morning, Oct. 26th, we 
(three brothers) arrayed in our best, wended our 
way, taking a short cut across lots and along a 
well-worn path in the Fox Hollow woods, to the 
much talked of academy, where Lewis S. Hewlett 
was in waiting with the Principal, who. received us 
bashful and awkward as Ave felt, with a reassuring 
courtesy, called us "young gentlemen," and con- 
ducted us to our seats. 

The Rev. Eli "Wheeler had been a tutor in the 
familyof Wynant Van Zandt oa Little Neck and 
married his sister-in-law, Miss Clarina Underbill , 
(Feb. 6. 1815), and by his influence had become as- 
sistant minister of the parish and principal of the 
academy. He was a good teacher, affable in his 
hours of ease, smoked his pipe, and was apt to pun 
on words and chuckle over his witticisms. A par- 



m 



sonago was built for him and lie took boarders, 
some of wliom studying for the ministry taught 
the younger \m\n\?. The clerk's desk was removed 
from the church into the academy, and in it pray- 
ers for a time were read just before the scholarg 
were dismissed for the day. 

James Cotter, the classical teacher, lial been a 
"middy" in the British squadron that blockaded 
our coast in the war of 1812. He was now a candi- 
date for holy orders. He was a faithful but not 
enlightened instructor, and cultivated the memory 
rather than the undeiKtandiug. We learned Mur- 
ray's abridgement of grammar all through by 
heart without conceiving wliat grammar meant. 
He likewise put us through the parsing exercises 
by rote, without our having the least idea what 
parsing was; or did he attempt to explain or in any 
way illustrate the lessen. So, too, with arithmetic^ 
we were made to commit to memory the rules in 
Daboll as a task to be learned at home. Accord- 
ingly our parents had us up early in the cold win- 
ter mornings to con our tasks eiOJiv^ed around the 
solitary candle on the stand, or crowd ed in the 
corner to study by the glimmer of the new-built 
fire. In reciting our tasks, it a boy missed, the 
one,below who corrected him went up, first giving 
the delinquent a smart slap on the palm with a 
thick leather strap which Mr. Cotter kept by him 
for that use. Cyphering was done on the slate onlj^ ; 
as yet there was no blackboard 

Standing up in a long line we read in Murray's 
Reader, a sentence apiece, going up and down as 
mistakes in prouuncation and 'tops were made 
and corrected. A part of Friday afternoon was 
set apart for declamation and dialogue. Composi- 
tion wrs not so well attended to. Willets' and 
Cummings' geographies were used. Flint's .sur- 
veying and Day's algeb:a were the text books. 

The edifice was 21 by 40 feet and 11 feet in the 
stud, It was surmounted by a belfry (when the 
bell got cracked a triangle was used), and had two 
separate entrances in front with lobbies for hats, 
overcoats, shawls and dinner baskets. The gills 
sat by themselves on the east side. Their studies 
were mostly the same as the boys. There was a 
small room up-stairs (since removed; where the 
classical scholars might sit by themselves. 

Scholars came also from Ros!yn, Herricks, Suc- 
cess, Great and Little Neck. Some from a «listance 
rode in winter and stabled their horses near by. 

Among the teachers were Mr. Fitch, Harry, 
Wni. Shelton and Ebnr. Close. Out of scliool hours 
thoi" visited among the Priors, Hay(tocks, 
Treadwells, Aliens, Apiilebys, Latons, Kapclyes, 



^/foU-^ c 



uu 



t7^ c, .^t <= A. 



Morreils, AlitcUells, Tlioriics, bells, Nuiusi, Uewlelts, 
&c. Dr. Purdy htvX added to Um North Ilempstpad 
Library at tho Widow ^chenck'.s books of travel 
and history, the poems of Younga, Tliomson, 
Montgomery .ind Moore, as well as the works of 
Scott, Irving and Cooper; so that a literary culture 
was fostered ic the neighborhood. The young la- 
dies began to provide themselves with albums in 
which the gentlemen wrote pieces of poetry and 
prose, either original or selected. In the Fall of 
1823 a Forum was organized with the Rev. D.S. 
Bogart as president An eloquent opening address 
was made (Sat. evening, Sep. 6thj by Wm. R. 
Prince of Flushing.who had a turn for poiitc learn- 
ing, and used to write poetry for the Z,. 7, Farmer 
in response to the muse of Miss E. Bogart. The 
question debated was : "Is duelling justifiable ?'' 
Ticketsof admission for a gentlem in and two la- 
dies, 12)4 cents. 

In the fall of 1S2.'J, having gone over the prepara- 
tory studies under Mr. Close, I quit the academy to 
attend Columbia College. Wel^Robert M. Sands 
andmysel^roseatS o'clock on an October morn- 
ing, and Mr. Wheeler took us in his wagon to the 
Flushing steamboat on which we x^assed toN. Y- 
Tho president frightened us by saying boys were 
not so well preiiarcd for college in country s choo s 
as in the city. However, after four days examina- 
tion in Greek, Latin, algebra, arithmetic and geog- 
raphy we were called in the chapel on Saturday at 
candle-light, and our hearts were gladdened at the 
announcement that we v^ere admitted into the 
Freshman class. 

Mr. Wheeler resigned his situation in the fall oi 
1S23. He had various settlements. At one time he 
kept a boarding school at the parsonage of Ziou 
church,.Little Neck. He died in Brooklyn, March, 
1861, at the age of 72. 

The Kev. J . P. F. Clarke next had the academy 
and was Rector of Ihe church from May, 3824, to 
June, 1832. He tolerated day scholars, but pre- 
ferred boarders. So the Vestry doubled the size of 
theparsonage, and Mr. Clarke, at his own cost, 
added a wing in 1828 for the better accommodation 
of his ;o boarders, among whom were tho sons of 
Caspar and Hamblin the actors, and D. R. P. Jones, 
since Senator and Secretary of State. He hired a 
matron to keep the house in order and look after 
the boys. Plain as the fare was he always sat on a 
bare pine bench at the same table with the boys 
and at 3 the same bread and drank the same black 
tea, and if his wife set a nice bit before him he did 
not touch it. On the Lord's Day the boarder.^ were 
required 

"To be at church and si* Y"-^T"hTviSs " 
To read their Bibles and their Sundaylbooks. 



Mr Clarke .vas a classical scholar, theoretical ra- 
ther than practical; hut he eolicited advice and ac- 
cepted suggestions from older and more skilled 
teachers, as Borland and Forrest in N. \ . He was 
fond of experimenting but readily modified or 
abandoned such methods as he found impractica- 
ble He subscribed for the Jonrnat of Education, 
and procured the latest and best editions of school 
books, and Nvas alive to every improvement: but 
the day of improved school books and systems of 
education had as yet hardly dawned. For years the 
same books had been in use in every school from 
Brooklyn to Oysterbay. There was no changing of 
books Mr. Clarke used Dab^ll's and Colbum's 
intellectual) arithmetics, Whelplcy's Universal, 
and Goodrich's and Parley's U. S. histories, acd 
Woodbridge's geography. Walker was the stand- 
ard of pronuciation. Mr. Clarke distinguished em- 
phatically between Ete«er and Eleazar and pro- 
nounced hyssop, hi-sop, and so with oter words. 

The first boy caught idling in the morning was i 
mounted on a'.stool and kept there as a monitor till | 
he espied another Idler, whom he called to take his 
place, and so on during tlie day. At the dismissal 
of school the boys had been drilled to inarch out 
with a military step. There were two desks on a 
raised platform at the north end of the room for 
the teachers, so as to have the oversight of the 
boys. The girls after a while left school. 

Mr. Clarke had hoped to manage the boys by ap- 
peals to their ambition or sense of shame, in the 
use of credit and disgrace marks; but severer pun- 
ishments came in apace, such as detention after 
school or on Saturdays, studying lessons standing 
up, or seated on the "disgrace boncli," standing on 
the floor with extended arm, whipping, and last of 
aUapairof stocks was erected up stairs under the 
roof, where delinquents stood solitary with their 
hands held fast by the wrist in a close fitting open- 
ing between two boards. Courts were held on Sat- 
urday mornings for the trial and sentence of those 
who had incurred bad marks during the week.! 

He issued in 1825 a little twelve-page pamphlet 
containing a prospectus and the rules of the acad- 
emy. For board and schooling, $120 and $130 per 
year, an examination at the close of each term in 
October and April, to be followed by a vacation of 
at least one week. The trustees were : Benj. Tread- 
well, Wm. Mitchell, Lewis S. Hewlett, St. Sell, Benj. 
Hewlett, Henry Piatt. Daniel Kissam, Jr.. Thos. C. 
Thorne, Richard K. Allen, John Sands, John I. 
Schenck, and Singleton Mitchell. 



6«- 



Mr. Clarke -wns outspoken and sarcastic. He de- 
tested pretence and cant. He was fond of arguing, 
his opinions always being opposite to those of the 
person he was conversing with. He did not wish 
to seem better than he was, and used to speak of 
Dean Swift having family worship so secretly that 
a visitor did not know of it. Being asked his f age 
by an inquisitive person, he replied: "Call me 90 if 
you like." Sick headache was his great trouble. 
Having found his hearers listless when he preached 
doctrinal sermons, he became more practical, so 
that Fred'k Cr<Jft, the English teacher, a Duitariau, 
used ts say he had no fault to find with Clarke's 
sermon's, foi 

" Averse from aimless theory and strife 
He taught the gospel as a rule of life." 

Mr. Clarke was very pystematic, descending even 
to the smallest things, as the annexed school bill 
sbows: 

Cow Neck, Jan. 16, 1625. 
Mrs. Maria Hegeman, 

To James P. F. Clarke. Dr. 

To Andrew James' board, one quarter $2.5.00 

do tuition, do 5.00 

Ink and quills e.^i cts.; cr. by quills taken • 

from hira 9}^ 

His assessment for broom and water pail... 3 

do do wood ,"i6>; 

Slate pencil. Id 1 

A Mentor, 6s; Instructor and spelling 
book, 6s .' 1 50 

$31.93% 
I was thrice connected with the academy, the last 
time as a teacher from June, 1S27, to Nov., 1828. 
I called on Mr. Clarke, who said he wished a gradu- 
ate of Columbia College to relieve him in teaching 
the languages, and that he would soon be rid of 
Messrs. Barry and Craft, who could teach English 
only. I was to have S300 for the first half year and 
$T0O per year thereafter. 

Mr. Clarke died Sept. 11, 1S76, at Delevan, Wis- 
oonsiD, where he resided in hia^son's family. : 

The Rev. Moses Marcus had the academy in 1830 
and Mr. Close and others since. But in course of 
time the scholars fell away ; and carpenters and 
masons have altered it for a chapel and Sunday 
school. 

Dear old Academy, adieu ! In thy hall 
Great men have studied while they yet were small. 
And scarce was Plato's school in Greece more 

famed 
Than thou within Noi-th Hempstead's bounds wast 

named. 
It grieves me when I say a la.st farewell 
To those old walls that ever pleasedjme well. 

HJiiXKY ONDKKDOXk, JR 



ITorwalk G-azette. 



Tuesday, October Slth, 1870. 



New Canaan FiftfcsJx Years Ago- 

Rkcollectionsof Hkxp.y Oxdekdoxk, Jr., 
NOW OF Jamaica, L. I. • 



Oa the 29111 of October, 1821, my father, a 
farmer, living on Cow Neck, L. I., having 
heard that 'Squire Eliphalet St. John took 
boys into his family at $100 per year for 
board and tuition (and no extras), fitted me 
out for a six month's stay. He took me, my 
bedding and a little trunk in his wagon to 
New York, and left me at lawyer Silliman's, 
where St. John received his boys, having first 
hought me a cot and mattress and given me 
three dollars for six month's pocket monej\ 

Next night at 8 o'clock we went on board 
the Norwalk packet, Capt. Daskjfm, and put 
off from the dock at Peck Slip. I soon turned 
into my berth, and when 1 came on deck the 
next morning' instead of being at Nor- 
walk, found we had run for shelter into 
Hempstead Harbor, where we rode at anchor 
all night, the wind being contrar}^ After 
breakfast we got under way, and kept beating 
up the Sound under double reef all day, 
against a stiff nortlieaster. So directly ahead 
v/as the wind, that on some tacks we made 
scarcely any headway. The waves ran high, 
and now and then a heavy sea broke over the 
gunnels, wasliing the empty barrels ^»- d g ck 
from one side of the deck to the other. The 
passengers betook themselves to the quaater- 
deck, wher^they continued all day long, some 
lying on their backs deadly sea-sick. 



At 4 o'clock in the afternoon we entered 
still water, running between the rocky islets 
and trees tllat studded the mouth of Norwalk 
river. IIow tranquil all seemed! How glad 
we all were 1 The sea-sick got on their legs 
again and forgot their late peevishness. We 
gently glided up the channel, passed the 
•'Old Well," and soon reached the upper land- 
ing, where 'Squire St. John's wagon had long 
been awaiting us. A sbc miles ride, mostly 
up hill, took us to ou^ new home, where we 
were warmly welcomed, and put in good 
humor by a plentiful supper. AVe had fasted 
all day, and some had even thrown their 
breakfast to the fish. •ty*^ 

Next day we were put to our studies. 
There were half a dozen boarders, and as 
many day scholars of either sex were allow- 
ed to come in. We sat on bare benches. St. 
John did his teaching himself with the occa- 
sional help of his son Lorenzo. His wife had 
also been a teacher in her youth, and often 
lent her husband a helping hand. She was 
strong-minded, read novels as well as reli- 
gious books, and formed her religious opin- 
ions e ntiircly wholly independent of her hus- 
band's. He was resigned to the divine de- 
crees, whatever they might be ; but she told 
him she couldn't believe in aiiy doctrines that 
involved the possibility of her innocent de- 
ceased infant daughter being in eternal mis- 
ery; nor did she begin the observance of her 
Sabbath till Sunday morning. She was an 
inveterate snuff-taker. I was left free to ad- 
vance as fast as my application would carry 
me, and got on fixmously with the languages, 
passing tlirough H«i,ddiman'sJLatin grammar 
Jlidoria Sacra and the third book of Virgil, 
during the first term. 

On Wednesday and Saturday afternoons 
we had holidays. The boys roamed over the 
country, while I usually sat alone in the 
school-room, reading the New York Spectator 



and JSorwalk Gazette. In summer t'aey went 
batliing in a stream east of the house, picked 
blackberries, hucldeberries, and in the fall 
gathered nuts. We passed the winter even- 
ings in the sitting-room, in company with the 
family. 

Our table was spread economically, but al- 
ways a plenty of good rye bread, large loaves 
of which were sliced off with a long cutting- 
knife attached by a hinge to an oak block 
standing on four legs by the kitchen door. 
So sweet was this bread that the boys slyly 
cut off a piece as often as they passed it. 
Sometimes for dinner we only had hasty 
pudding with milk or molasses. No butcher 
ever came near the house ; but when fresh 
meat was wanted the flock was driven from 
the fields to the barn-yard and the hired man, 
Mr. Buxton, butchered a sheep. 

There was no carpet in the house except in 
the parlor and best bed-room. Seldom had 
we knives, plates or table-cloth at supper or 
breakfast, the bread being ready cut and 
spread to our hand. We had good appetites 
and that made up for all. There was no 
grumbling about our homely fare. On 
Thanksgiving day the dinner was a surprise. 
There was no end to the good things ; tur- 
keys, chickens, pies, sweet Indian pudding, 

j etc., etc. 

The mansion house was double and painted 
white. It had a stone chimney and stood on 
high groimd, with a row of Lombardy pop 
lars in front. It had a good prospect of my 
dear Long Island, and oft in the stilly night I 
stole out of doors to look in silent gaze at the 

i light house on Eaton's Neck. 

\ 'Squire St. John had a large farm but being 
a poor manager, when his purse ran low he 
took in boarders to recruit liis finances a lit- 
tle. Tlius he kept school at an interval of 
every fouif^years. He was taught at Yale 



College,' and was at first intended for the 
minis°ry. He was intelligent, well-esteemed, 
and had once been made justice of the peace. 
He had Scott's Bible, ]©«w's Encyclopedia, 
and many other books /which I was allowed 
to rummage. f-xC''"^^ 

The observance of the Sabbath commenced 
on Saturday at sundown, when all had to 
come in doors, read the Bible, and learn some 
religious lesson, Sunday schools not 
having yet been formed there. On Sunday 
morning all had to go to meeting, and any 
visitor who staid over Sunday was expected 
to go along. St. John with his wife, or some- 
times myself, rode together in a one-horse 
chair. A box wagon with bare seats and stiff 
wooden springs, was filled with boys, and the 
rest went on foot, it being about two miles. 
If the /pastor was absent a sermon was 
^^^oflpfffd by a layman. In returning from 
me'^ting the Squire was often in a hurry, and 
without ceremony would cut ahead of all be- 
fore him, our vehicle rebounding over the 
rocks and stones in the road, so that we had 
to brace ourselves with both hands or else be 
jolted off the seat. 

New Canaan was the stoniest place I had 

ever seen. The fences were made, many of 

them, of rocks, and you could walk across 

many a field without treading on the ground 

at all, by merely stepping from one stone to 

I another. The red-roofed meeting house stood 

' on high, rocky ground, with no fence around 

it. There was a gallery on three sides where 

the singers and young folks sat. On the side 

I hill east of it was an unfenced triangular bu- 

I rying-ground, much neglected. The tomb of 

Mr. Mitchell, the late pastor, had a railing 

around it and a tree over it. Here, of a Sun- 

da^', I have often seen two aged women w itS ^ 

ahort-gowna and petticoats, with home-made 

black silk bonnets (not hats) having a cape 

that fell over their shoulders to keep off the 



j weatlier. They rode double on a gentle na^, 
one on a side-saddle, the other on a pillow* 
behind her. As they neared the stone horsc- 
hloes. the animal would sidle up so that they 
could easily slide off on the block, when they 
threw the reins over the crotch on the horse - 
post, shock the dust off, adjusted their dress 
and then quietly passed into the meetiu- 
house. Considering the roughness of the 
roads, riding on horse-back was really the 
easiest way of traveling. When snow was 
on the ground some used pungs, others put a 
Vv'agon-box on runners, and a few rode on 
wheels. , 

The pewg were square boxes with seats on 
all sides, without cushions or paint. The up- 
per panel was of open-work. They were re-let 
every year, which was an occasion of much 
heart-burning, as one often bid against anoth- 
er from mere caprice or the fun of the thing. 

i Under the liigh pulpit was a pew where the 

1 two deacons were cooped up. They could 
not see the minister at all. Sometimes to get 

rii better hearing they rose to their feet and 
stretched forth their heads a little. An air of 
mutual acquaintance i)*evaded the congrega- 
tion. A Mr. Benedict was so aged and deaf 
that he was allowed to sit in the white paint- 
ed pulpit beside the minister. He wore a 
black skull-cap, and in sermon time stood up 
with his ear close to the speaker; wlien he 
died his son took the father's seat. 

T.iere was a stove but no carpet in the 
meeting house,and no "penny collection'" was 
taken up on the Sabbath day. 

There were two services on the Lord's day 
the year round,withan hour's intermission for 
noon-spell. Most of the people brought " a 
bite" from home in their pockets. We had a 
basket of bread and butter, molasses cake, 
smoked beef, apples, and the like. The con- 
gregation were made free at all the^ieiglibor- 
inghouscs,and a drink of watcr^uways ready. 



"We went to Dr. Silliman's and bad our provi- 
siou^^pread on the table, and each boy car- 
rions portion. After the" people had finish- 
ed tliis hasty meal, the more pious got up a 
prayer meeting which lasted till it was time 
for af lernoon service. When the congrega- 
tion was dismissed, they did not linger around 
the house to talk, but hurned^off homeward. 
The pastor, Rev. Mr. Bonny, wore no cler- 
ical robes, but in winter had a cloak. He 
was courteous, and once told me he sho.uld 
be happy to wait on me at his house. His 
wife was the real, acting pastor, and by her 
tact was a help-meet for him. She got up 
and managed the religious societies of the 
congregation, and kept things lively, l>uring 
the week, all the year round , evening meet- 
ings were held at the church or in the school 
houses. "When the people were negligent in 
rising at prayer the deacon would rebuke 
them, and say : " If they were addressing an 
earthly potentate would they not stand up ? 
How much more should they do it to the 
King of Kings." This deacon was the butt 
of the captious for hisalledged short-comings. 

The 4th of July, Christmas and New-Years 
were not observed at all ; but on the first 
Sabbath in Januar^^ the pastor gave an ac- 
count of the church for the past year ; how 
many had died, how many were received in 
communion, etc. The church bell used to 
ring at nine o'clock at night all the year 
round. 

Shoemaking was tlie chief employment of 
the people. There was a number of free- 
thinkers who vexed tne pious soul of Squire 
St. John. He listened good-naturedly, and 
then for the hundredth time answered their 
objections to the scriptures or their charges 
against church members. For instance, they 
objected that Mrs. Judson went about the 
country soliciting from the poor, contribu- 



tions for her India mission, wearing a $i 
shawl over her shouklers. St. John said '"tliat 
was a prfsent to her from a friend. What 
would you have her do with it ?" Tliougli 
descended from straight-laced puritans he was 
no bigot. He once reproved his son for hav- 
ing handed some salt to the hired man on a 
Saturday night for him to give it to the sheep 
on the next day. lie said that " neither he 
nor his father before him had ever done a 
thing of the kind on the Lord's day, nor did 
his mother make up the bed, nor sweep, nor 
peel potatoes on the Sabbath." The son 
asked him : " why he polished his shoes and 
shaved on Sunday ?" He replied : "It should 
be done on the preceding daj'', and nothing 
should be done on the Sabbath but acts of 
necessity and mercy." The son rejoined: 
"Our ancestors were too superstitious." The 
father said: "They had foibles but we had 
\ f ailing s.'" 

I Squire St. John once owned a slave. Sib, 
who had dandled her master when a child on 
i her knee. She scorned to go "to meeting" 
but asserted her liberty so far as to get con- 
firmed in "the church." The Episcopalians 
were so few that the Bishop in his visitations 
was fain to aWjept the proffered hospitality 
of some rich Congregationalist. There was 
no resident clergyman, and services were 
held about once a month in a forlorn, decay- 
: ed edifice, a mile or so nortli of the village. 
I Thither Sib would wend her solitary way of 
j a summer's morning.arraj'ed in a white dress, 
j with parasol, fan and white handkercliief in 
I her hand. Though bent with j'ears yet at 
j the age of seventy she affected to be but sev- 
enteen ! 

Some slaves from constant attendance on 
family worship morning and evening, from 
youth up, had got their master's praj^ers by 
heart, and could roll forth high-soundiug 
words with such volubility that you could 



hardly tell whether it was master or slave 
that was praying. 

A Debating Society met in the school house 
where metaphysical questions were discussed, 
such as, " Necessity," "Free-will," »S:c. One 
of the school committee, B. St. John, was 
famed for confounding and puzzling school 
masters in examining them on the sounds of 
letters as contained in the preface to Web- 
ster's spelling book. 

A wagoner (we would call it an "express") 
passed by our door twice a week, on the days 
the packets sailed from Norwalk to New York 
As post a;:; ^ was then high (twelve and a half 
cents to Co .V Neck) he took my letters to the 
boat and threw them in the letter-box. The 
captains, Pennoyer or Daskam, on arriving in 
New York, left them at Hitchcock's corner 
grocery. Peck Slip, whence they were taken 
by the captain of a Cow Bay boat. So round 
about was the way of letters, but they 
reached home safely. The post ofBce was 
kept by a Mr. St. John, in the rear of a beau- 
tiful mansion, eight or ten rods from the road. 
, A paved walk ran through the grassy lawn 
I up to the house which was painted yellow. 
I There was here no free and easy borrow- 
' ing and lending, as at home. Everything 
from a horse to a hoe was lent on hire. If a 
farmer carried anything to or from the land- 
ing, for a neighbor, (though it gave him little 
or no trouble) he expected pay for it. 

'So deeply was I impressed with my sojourn 
in New Canaan (1821 to 1823) that I re-visit- 
ed the scenes of ray youth several times in 
after years. The last time, it was dark when 
I knocked at the familiar kitchen-door. The 
old lady with her specs ©n opened it, holding 
a candle before her. As soon as she recog- 
nized my face, she exclaimed: "Henry! Is 
it you ? Come in." So surprised was she that 
she forgot she was a widow^ and tiu-ning 



around liked lo bave called out : " St. John ! 
Henry is here." 

As I had thoughts of entering Yale Col- 
^ lege, the following estimate of yearly expen- 
ses was made out for my father, by the Rev. 
Eli Wheeler, 1823 : 
Board per annum, $70 00 

Tuition, • 34 00 



Room-rent, 


12 00 


Wood, 


8 00 


Washing, 


12 00 


Use of the Library, 


2 50 


Incidental expenses, probably, 


11 50 




4!l50 00 



BOSTON PAILY ADYE aXISER. 

FRIDAY MORNIXG SEPT. 24, 1S75. 



HALF A CENTURY. 
TWESiY EIGHT HOUltS FROM NEW YUUK 
TO B0S10N-i.TAGE ENTEFa'AlNWENXS-A 
GLIMPSE OF BOSrON AIsD CAMBIllUaE 
IN 1826-A STUDENX'S KEMINISUENCES, 

[EXTIiACTS FROM PRIVATE LETTERS ] 

JAMAICA, L I., Sept , 1875. 
Fottv-nine years ago (Aut>-. 24) I lefc my home on 
Lore; Island to enter tbe University of Camunag;-. 
To grat.ty the cunosiiy of tnencls I left oehiud, I 
wrote from time to time some account of wyliti 
m Cambridiie. As these letters are contem;..rary, 
and were written in my boyish clays, 1 have veu- 
i luieci to send them for publication. 
I Youis, ^"^" respectfully, 

He>-ey 0>'derdoxk, jk. 

CAMBRIDGE, Auff. 29, 182G. 
Dear Br other: As I am not ict fa'^'V se«'ed, l 
Simula not have wriuen so soon weie it not lua l 
su?.P0%d yoii aiHi the rest of my fnends ^"stoe 
aV,x?fusiobearof me. As you Un )W, lue steam- 
?,oai VVashin^ton lett New York, 21th instant, at 
V30 o'ilocL.- We bad many passen-ers, amoutf 
„iw,«; «aV t he rotorious Colonel Pinck, an ostler 
Tkci^d colonel ot a Phdadciphia regin.c.t out ot 
rmonle to certain military laws. la thcevcuiop:, 
a caucus was held on board, and General JicUsoa 
«as nomi..ated tor President and Colocel Pluck 
tor Vic^'iesident. On tne colonel's esprc-sins 
Lis cettraiitation to stand as candidate he was 
^ee^ld With reiterated applause. A comQiitt.M> 
then'waited on hib, requesUDK mm in the namcot 
ihPl-uierio display uis skid in mihtary tactics. 

Po^t anu cap with bait a dozen feathers, wmte, 
fmie' fed and -reen, spurs (wiih.ut boots) i-ro.ieet- 
inpi'ine inches or mire beliind tils le^s, k^^veut 
brou"bthecx.rci^estothe infinite mernmemof 
Ld assembled. "The Woods" on board «;;^e con- 

?ome^sh.lwd retnarlis. Tbe boat was a nrst-rate 

lauer aid the accmmodations sood. As we 

Uame niar Pomi Judith ii began to raiu, and 1 was 



preveutetl iiom u ivinj; a gocu view oi tue numei-- 
ous lit;lUD(i"ses auci islatiris. 

We iHt the colouel at Newport, 11 A. m., a 9bowy 
place of ibe size of Biooklyo. It lies oa asiae- 
nili and rists siacot'ully from the shore. The wiud 
now became brisk aua tbe sails were uoisced. A 
oeBllcninii who had a new-ta^bioQed hat, liUe loine 
fosc it oveiboard. We arrived at Provideuce 
3 p. M , sraues waiting for us. Oar fare oq the 
boat was «-8,aul in tbe staif (40 miles), §io. Had 
my triiik Ueen a little larger I must have pai.l tor 
"Pxii a baL;catie. Asn rawed incessantly tbe stage- 
cunaius ueie dTcfwai at)d I had only occasional 
V)ews of Frovidetce. but I tbought it a very pleas- 
ant place. Tbe bouses had door-yards with trees, 
sbiubs, vines and flowers, and iudicate wealtby 
occnpacts who seem fond of comfort rather tbaa 
maliina money, wbich I supnose tbey cbeerfuliy 
itsiRutoibe iiew Yorkers. Tbe road was of t lie 
tirst order. We bad good stashes and rode fast, 
havinj*- four cban^es of horses. Tue stas^e was 
cr.wded, the passengers generally moralists. One 
old gfenilemaa, a fanner, was a trnitanan wbo, as 
soon iis be found out what 1 was, said be Orin't 
like "Ure and brimstone preaching," that tbe N^w 
Eoglanders were fond of a cooler climate, &c. We 
)>assed ibrougb Pawtuckct, having ueihaps fifty fac- 
tories. The tomb-stones of tbe eburch-jards were, 
mary ot them, built of bnck 18 inches square, and 
a flat stOiie with an inscription placed on t p. 
Though they have had a drought here la the spnug 
the crops are generally good, the truit uot so good. 
The aLimated debates that now ensued servea to 
beguile the otherwise tedious tide. A lady as- 
serted that the human race was interior to tbe 
brutes and told of the sagacity of tbe dog, bee, 
&nt, beaver, &c. An Irisbcnsn was much vexed to 
have "tbe loids of creation reduced to a level with 
tbe brutes." "Seif-love" was the next topic, tbsu 
a denial of "particular privuleuce"— all things 
bemji referred to chance. They spoKe ot the dice- 
bos, diawiug-?traws, stumbling accidents, &c. A 
gentleman and lady railed at tbe Bible as oounteu- 
anciEu cruelij and wicUcdness. 

Hy this time we bad entered the public strest of 
tbe "emporium of learning" and r.uie two unies in 
one street. We stopped at tbe Blavlborouih Hotel 
at 10 r.M., 28iA houis tioiu New Yoru. I rose early 
in tbe morning. At hreal-iiast I mistook corn-Oiead 
for p(nrd-cake, it looked £0>ellow and rich, and 
was cjuite disgusted. Tbe sun appeared for a 
short time and was succeeded by a drizzling ram of 
three davs. as I had an introductory letter I called 
on Dr. Ware, who treated me wilh much civilitv 
aud took mc in his c/uxjte (as It IS called here) and 
showed me msuy public buildings, the house of 
Governor Hancock, and the church from whose 
corner-stone the name of j. Hancock bad been 
tDaced by British soldiers; also tbe Athenaeum, a 
laige building with a library, paintings and scalp- 
luie. Tbe State house, tbeir nohiest builciiog, 
answers to our city ball. Their mall, or public 
walk (r>n which the Bostonians pride themselves) 
an1;wers to our Battery and is much pleasauter. 
Their new marKet is the noblest Iniildin-- of the 
kind in Aiuenca. The stalls and cellars t'ent for 
S;25.C00. The old market, Faueuil Hall, still re- 
mains. In it were held many patriotic meeting^i lu 
tbe days of '76. If you will read Liionel Li icoln 
you will find much said of Boston in the "times 
ibiit tried men's souls." 



X Boston IS a place well wortu seeing, xus uouses 
are eEtireiy diflerect lu their appearaiico trom 
those in New York, many of tbeoi ii.ivius; liii;h!yor- 
naoipnted gtass piais in front, with trees like those 
in Sands street, Brooklyn. Tbe citv is hilly, the 
Streets narrow ml crooked, but cleai). As i left 
Boston for Cauibnctge by sta<ie at twelve, 1 arrived 
at tbe coileRe at one p. m., three and one-Uaif 
miles; througha marsh, with sidewaUis of planus. 
Tbe battle j-rouud of Breed's, commonly ciUed 
^Jiunber"s, hill was pointed out to roe. As it was 
vacation i took lodgmss with widow Rogers 
lill tbe college exercises commence. Cauibridge 
IS a deari'level with a few old Uouses, supported by 
the students. I called on Dr. Kirklaud with my 
letters. On Xttesday I uucierweirt a most riiiU ex- 
amination by Dr. Popliin, called tbe airiest Greek 
scholar ID this countiy, editor of the C diectanea 
Majora, which his critical acumen and plodding 
disijositiou has cleared of many thomaurt errors. 
1 read with astonishing accuracy neatly all tbe 
passages be selected from more than twenty Greek 
autbois-from the Greek testament to Lo'ngiuu--, 
1 wr.s something not lar from two hours with him. 
He made me display all my knowledge of Greek- 
and bid me in translating mention tbe Greek, and 
then give the English term coriesponding, so as to 
be certain I knew the inoividual word. He looked 
sour at first, Init was gentle. My examination lu 
the other depai tmeuts has been ae'erred till Friday 
in consequence of com meneemeut. lam heartily 
pleased with having <_-i'me here. 
Sincerely yours, 

" Henry Oxderdoxk, jr. 
P. S. Commencement is here a holiday: tiie 
bants in BosioD closed. Tbe church was filled. 
Tbe oratory is peculiar. AH wrumo:, excei>tof the 
plainest character, is discountenanced, hence 
some of the speeches were writtPn in a colloquial 
or faojiliar style. At our house there diaed some 
laciies that came out irom Bjstou— all well edu- 
cated. One read Shakespeare, aimiied Man- 
betb," and detected a quotation from ••Oth'->ilo" 
Another read Viigil, i'alian (lo go to the opera 
perhaps when it reuioves from New Yorkto Bos- 
ton), and a deal mure. She was a poetess, too. 
Another lady had a sweet voice, and sang with 
such oistinctness that I could understand almost 
eveiy word. 1 conversed with an elderly l,)<;y ( Mrs. 
Joseph Locke) who tolil mo thj Episcopal mtiiis- 
ter.s m tbe stone ihapei vveie Unitarians. 

There were booths for the sale of retresbm-nts 
aiountl the church. Hundreds were about tbe 
tents, all was tii-stle, dritkiog, gimbling and 
noisp. After the ceiemonies were over and the 
tents were removing, towards dusk 1 took a walk 
around and saw several honhres made. There was 
mecb hallooing, dancing and b^bting as at out 
hoi?e races. 

On Friday my examination was continued. Pro- 
fessor Otis, a very flowery preacher in the Eiilscn- 
pa! church here, biienerl Ciceio de Oratore. I read 
one passage and he said it «as satisfactory. In 
mathematics I was examiupd by Mr. llavward, 
a tutor, red-haired and freckte-faced. He pro- 
n( UDced me "pretty uood." T'he examination was | 
searching, and was held on two successive diy>. I i 
row wtnt to Dr. KirklaniJ. He told me toJaSUL a i 
chair in tbe parlor till he should be at hisure. Di- 
i Teatly he came and said, with a smile, if I was 
mas'er of "Blaii" the board voted me accepted 
! without iiDilo'goinf: any turtner examination. ; 

, i Your affectionate brother, 

• ■ Henry OXDKRDOXK JE. 



:T 



H. 

COLLEGE PRAYERS AXD COMMONS -CLASS 

UKirORMS - SUNDAY EXERCISES -OLO 

TIME DISSIPATIONS. . ,. ia<;r 

CAMBRIDGE, Sept. 14, 1826. 

~.Dmr Tirother i-l shall bow endeavor to give 
some account of tbe college. The morning bill 
riugs qiiaiter before six. At six we have prjyers. 
All students who c!o not attena mu it, after t'ae/ i 
miss a certain uumber of times, give aa excusa. | 
A snort intioductory prayer is made by one of the j 
oilicers,;ben a chau'er of ttia Bible is read, aocl 
after anoilier prayer of five mmutes the scuooucs 
are Oi.-missccl. Some then ro to a rcctiatioti of the 
lesson they have learnt the previous evcoios. Some 
return to then- rooms till the bieali!ast-bel!, about 
seven or alter. At eip;ht the studv bell rings. A!l 
must then 2.0 in their rooms aud continue there, 
even if they have no lessons to loam, unless they 
atterd a recitation wtiich occupies an hoar. 
&i one, bell for dincer; at twi;, study bell. At tive 
or after, bell for pravers, auo (as the c mmons hall 
is under the chapel) ta'ie tea as we return frum 
pravers. At eijiht in the evening study bell. All 
sincients out are liable to punishment U'jless there 
bo a (^-ood excuse. Mh Lunc called me to 
account for bemg out as late as nioe 
o'clock on a visit. We nave three recitations 
a day, occupying an hour each. At breakfast we 
have waim bread and cotJee. The table is painted, 
but has no cloth. We have, of course, plates to 
Jay our bread on. The cottee is not very eood, nor 
the butter. At dinner there is a cloth laid clean 
every day. tv,'0 plates, one on another, and a dish 
ot meat, A particular dish and a particular pud- 
dina each clay. On Saturday, codh^h aud potatoes 
l^reparedin a pan. then nee and molasses lor a 
dessert. When we have cleared the dish ot" meat 
we can hove no more; hut everytiit'is else, as 
bread, butter and potatoes (uupeeled), we have in 
abundance. fJutter is on 'he table at all timea, 
rho' in small (luantities. The servant is ofcen seat 
from our table for more. Eight or ten sit at each 
table on benches. There are ten tables in each 
ball, with "^ne servant to wiu on them. Ei3h table 
has at Its exireme two colite or tea pots, one mills 
pot aud one sugar basin. 

'Jbeie 18 one advautas''— Ihe students can help 

themselves to as much as they please o[ anytiibitf. 

Cider and water are placed on the table with a 

eIai>.stor eich student. Totatoes are almost the 

only vegetable sauce we have except when we 

have beef and cahba<re. 1 have twice tnstcl 

squashes, the bcf t I i!?.vc ever cateu. On soaie 

efsys we have whnt is called roa^t piir. tasima; 

I pretty v.cll; on s mic davs beefsteak. We have no 

neat except at dmnei ; at te.i bread and butler. 

I \v c have the same fare day after day. wiiich matjes 

one a little tired of it. Our pud^iniis are very 

i good— liread-pufuiines. plum-pudoiniis, Indian- 

1 puddings— I mean the Yankee ladiau-padding of 

j molasses The tea, thoimh not unuleisaut. has no' 

I llavor. S'imetimes at tea we have brown br^ad, 

. made of Jnoian. aud not unlike in color or taste 

! that tiijide of pumpUirs. Thus you see anythins; 



Sf|'ii> me Fua^« o{ CokG 13 t£'.t;r uS7.G. j^di- aoi re- 
Si £reC it; perhaps I ^liouUl b.ircllv have tbomrht of it 
tl'weie 1 '.u t wilting to you. it is my wisli to state ' 
! aU siiuply as it ij. At tiieals, if tbe tutor 
gets in libfore tlitj- comuiLiice catitijr, lie a-ks 
a blpss-iti;^: tliey generally anticipate linn. ' 
except ai tea. Even then they strive to vex him 
by pouiiue out tlieir tea, niaking some uo'se vvitu 
tlic teapot, or luruuvj; over as if Ov accirtcnt a 
bencb, while standing, for they lise when be a«k3 
tbe blessing. Few of tbe otlicers live in covnin'iu?. ' 
Ibese the sliuleats torment wliils catiu^r, by scold- 
ioff the servant, settina; upalouil laugh aarl mau- 
mg every noise they can while eatins:. ()r:e can 
baldly bo heard acios? the tab'e, speakine in his 
orciiuary tone. The cue io out ball.who bas a vciy 
unpleasaut countenance and i? ajit to report stu- 
dents for ill-bebavior,is called '•Crum," siguityiag 
lu Erclisb a "bear." The most unpleasant cir- 
cuoistauce attendmathe living in commons 13 that 
every ore liist helps himself and bas no concern 
for another. Thus, tbose who come late havins; 
little left tbem of wbat is considered good must 
lake sucb as they can get. 'i hey eat very fast and 
generally finish in five or eiabt minutes. I broke 
oft a tooib by hastily biting on a crust of hot 
bread. 

The colleae balls, four in number, are built of 
brick, four stones bisb, without aoy taste. They 
bave large rooms and can accommodate SOO or 
more stu'aents. A great many board out. Univer- 
sily Ball, of white granite, looks pretty well. It has 
tbe conmons kitchen on the basement floor. C )m 
rcor.s Hall is on tbe second iloor, and the cbajiel 
on tbe thud tioor. or second story. On the next 
floor above are recitation rooms. The chapel has 
an organ, under the care of the students, acd a 
srallery for the professors' families, The ouild- 
ings are uearlv all wuhin a stone's throw of the 
chapel. The proiessors bave beautiful residences 
at some distacce from the college. Some of iha 
tutors live in tbe coliene balls wi h the students, 
10 preserve order and watch over their conduct. 
Tbe students, thotrgh a liitle miscbte^'oiis at times, 
are much more like men than those in New YorK. 
It is a maxim that a lie for the bcneht of the class 
is collect,— that is, it it will conceal ono Irom 
puuisbmeut. The students arc generally 
unpopular among the vilbgers. Every 
student is obliged to weir a uuiforra 
dress as soon after he enters college as possible. 
Ihis serves to make them known wherever they 
go, and stops extravagance. Mine cost only g2". 
The fasliion of tbe coat is singular and strikes -.ne 
observer at once. Your class is designated by the 
niuuber ol sprigs stitched on ibe cufi ana collar. 
The caps, too, are the ugliest vou ever saw. Ima- 
gine a daik mixed-cloth cap tilted to the bead and 
on tbe top of this a shingle attached one toot 
square, and covered wiih the same Kiui ot cloth. 
i The coat is single-breasted with a straiiht collar. 
ANe Lave services on Sunday twice a day. to the 
morning tbe president preaches a practical ser- 
mon. He reads his discourses and has little ani- 



matiou. Dr. "SVare gives a 'course of lectuics m 
I tbe afternoon on Natural Kelisiion, etc. incie i> a 
! srvmnasium where tbe stuJents exercise thern- 
,'es, walking on a springy pole, or a rope, ciiniD- 
a rope, swinging and vaiious teats ot activity 



gymna 

selv 

ing 



we atienl bis lectures in tiolden chapel. Tne i- 
we ''^"■'^"■* "!; '."-^ jf ,,„c QQ oi:0 volumes arrauged in 

Tbc raujes of Hie douois are written ui tvery hoyk. 
Tlienaui" ot bollis acd Haucocu ate pamfcccl m 
I Jm letters on a board over tbe ^^oopt'lHe^^y^ I 
I Ff^ncetivelv uivtu. 1 he re are several lull-lengttt 
i nnr rai s iu lire libravv ot us benefactors; four ot 
i K'are eac'h .en feet- long, •'■'^ere,^^^:^ besule 
many busts of illustrious men, as Adam?, >vasa- 
I Sr, llnm.lton, WelhngtoD, &c. ^^^^^l^^^' ^^^^ 
i Ecnpts orrameuted with great care, and a book 
1 nriiftedni 1480. The library buildnie: is so old that 

cbemaible steps are worn down consideraoly. 
I I he Village is two-thirds the size of Jama ca. 
' Tbeie is a good deal of traveliiua throu-h it fiooi 
i Boston into the country, over CambiKlge bridge, 
i It has an Episcopal anu CongieiiairoiKU chQich. 
1 ana three or four stores. A barber, tailor, seam. 
I stress. &c,, are supported by toe stadents. riiej 
' havebmltaihpological college I'^e '>E ^\"c^' f 
very neat building. It is it.tiepende nt of the col- 
i leoe. Our rooms are swept by homely old women 
! called -goodies," who also cio the cbamber work 
i every movniug. Many students have servants to 
; oo on errands, cleai shoes and fetch water, lor the 
i chamber-iuaids do not put water in the pitchers. 
i ihe prtfessfis sometimes come around the rooms 
' to see that all is well. I bave a room to myseir,- 
■ No. 6, Stouahton. on the secund lloor. neatly pa- 
lysrcd,— for which I pay §24 a year. 1 boughfTlU 
open stove for ^G, a becisteail, a maple tanle, a 
loobing-elass, a vellovv wasbsraud and two chairs 
'■ —cost of all S18. "Some of the richer students uavc 
I splendid furniture, sofas, large mirrors, secreta- 
ries, rich carpels. &c. 

Your aCectionate brother, 

Hexey 0^'dekdo:nk, jk, 

CAMDRTDGE.Oct. 22, 1826. 

Dear Brother: Oo Tuesday last there was an ex- 
l.iijisioii in tbe college, consisting of orations, dia- 
h'iiues, etc., in Eutilish. Latin and Greek. The 
exercises were pertoimed in the chapel, and at- 
tended by many laciies. It is a day of aeoeral fes- 
tivity among tue stuoents and officers of the col- 
lege. The speakers generally keep a free table. 
that is, give an entertainment to ibeir classmates. 
As most of the speakers wore from our class, 1 had 
seveial itivitatious. lu those rooms that I visrted 
tbe tables groaned under the refre?bnieiits aud 
bottles of wiue, braudy and puncb. Mar.y felt the 
cflects of their revelry. At dinner they did little 
eli-e than roar and srng obstreperously, xiie dinner 
ball was a scene of conlusion, noise and good 
bumor. It is the only day when the dishes are nut 



emiitiea. ine wiueanacaue (tr.e last oi woicli was 
ot the best luDci) bad complotely taken avvaytbeir 
appetite. Tiie atternoon was sneut in riotous cou- 
tluct. I'lieie IS always a tutor in each entiy of the 
f ludents' rooms, who lives there to piesevve order; 
but this day they were at a dinuer given by the 
eover!;ment of the college, otherwise better be- 
havior woulQ have been observed. These excesses 
.seUlcm happen. ]S"ot more than two siudent-t are 
allowed to stand together in the college yard to 
talK. 

I have been up about an hour. I have a black 
fellow who makes my fire about tive o'clock, I 
then get up and look over my lesson so as to recite 
It, which Is done as soon as one can see to read. 
■We atiend prayers as soon as the prcsideut can 
see 10 lead in a very large priot Bible. Ic is no 
uncommon thing to see students fall asleep; the 
seats, being not unlike the news of a ciiurcii, are 
well calculated for if. Ou Sentemb.'^r 2Gih we had 
liijisbed He()ge's Logic, and were examined on u la 
vreseiice of a c^ramittee. We next t'ok up Faley's 
3Uiral Philosophy, reciting tea pages (is near ver- 
batim as possib'e) at a lesson. Our compositions 
we hand in to Proiessor Channing at his study lu 
'he rear of his residence, and he makes the merit 
mark on tire margin. 

Half-past SIX A. M. Now the belli? ringing for 
pva>ers and 1 must go. What a scampeiius theie 
will be among tue tardy oiies! 

"Your affectionate brother, 

Hexky Ondekdo::^e, jh. 



BOSTON DAILY ADVERTISER. 



THUESDAY MORNING, AUG. 24, 1876. 



FIFTY YEARS AGO. 

EEMlNISCENCES OF HENRY ONDERDONK, JR., 
IN CAMBRIDGE AND HANSON. 
Today, August 24, 1876, completes a half cen- 
tury since I, a farmer's son, left my home at 
Flower Hill, Manhasset, L. I., with $90 in my 
pocket, to enter Harvard College. The cost of 
passage from New York to Boston was $11 and 
found. From Boston I rode to Cambridge in 
Morse's stage, which went twice a day and carrieJ 
the mail. The fare was twenty-five cents. I was 
let down at Ahel WUIard's tavern. My bedding, 
etc., came by water from New York, and was 
brought in by John Fairfield, wagoner. No. 17 Cen- 
tral street, Boston. Desirous of knowing some- 
thing of college life, I took room No. 19, first floor, 
in Stoughton Hall. My classmates (juniors) re- 
monstrated, and said it was a freshman's room, 
but I persisted in keeping it, amid sundry annoy- 
ances, till at last a squib was exploded one night 
through the keyhole of my door, and then I re- 
moved to No. 6 Stoughton. My classmates now 
called on me, and told me the pet names of the 



professors and tutors, and the college traainons 
and stories, some of which no douljt were greatly 
exaggerated or distorted. 

I boarded in commons ; Hillard, Norwood, Kich- 
ols, &c., were of the mess, though I changed tables 
once. The talk at our meals was often of our 
studies, criticisms on the recit.ations and standing 
or. the students, partiality of the professors, &c. 
"Why," says one, "there's Richmond, no matter 
how he recites, lOld Hedge will give hun 20." 
Sometimes at dmner one would with his fork stick 
a slice of meat on the under side of the table, so as 
to h.ave it to eat at tea-time ; and at breakfast take 
some spoonfuls of sugar out of the cup and wrap 
it up in paper to sweeten his pudding at dinner. 
II the doors of the eating-room were not set open 
punctually at the hour, there was usually good- 
humored disorder, kicking and thumping at the 
doM-s. 

Proper decorum was observed in the recitation- 
rooms, the students hardly whispering to each 
other. Our class recited in two divisions. Of 
Paley's Moral Philosophy we recited ten pages j 
early every morning. Wadsworth (since the gen- 
eral), having been up late overnight, was drowsy, 
but being called up from his snooze by Dr. Hedge 
(instead of confessing ignorance), endeavored to 
make up his answers as he went along. The Doctor 
always required the recitation to be in the author's 
own words, and W. struggled along till the class 
got a-tittering, when he diopped down in Ms seat 
blushing with confusion. "VV. roomed at Mr. Dan- 
forth's, with Fenton, who acted as a sort of Mentor 
to him. The Library- 

Much of my leisure was passed in the alcoves, to 
which I had free access. I looked over the titles 
pt the rare folios and got glimpses of knowledge I 
had never dreamed of. I read the State Trials, 
Dr. Geddes's Genesis, Bayle's Dictionary, etc., 
etc. I also took books to my room. The librarian 
(B. Peirce) had loose paper covers that he put on 
each book as it was delivered to the student, and 
took off when the volume was returned. Pro- 
fessors Otis and Popkin roomed in Holworthy. 
The other professors, who had families, mostly re- 
sided in Professors' row and other beautiful places 
near the college. 

.SU^'DAY3. 

Sunday was a quiet day. In the morning we 
had in the chapel a practical sermon from the 
president usually, or else from some one he had 
invited, as Dr. Colrhan, Dr. Jencks, etc. One Sun- 
day some students, by holding their heads do^n, 
seemed to be asleep. Though the president tel- 



dom raised his ej'e from the page, he saw this list- 
lessness, and blushed. Diu'mg the week these stu- 
dents were called up to state why they had been so 
inattentive. At two o'clock I sometimes heard the 
Rev. Mr. Otis, Episcopalian, or Dr. Holmes, Con- 
gregationalist. I was startled by a sudden and 
simultaneous clatter throughout the meet- 
ing-house when the people rose at 
prayer. The pews were unpainted and 
square, with seats attached to the 
sides by binges, and when the supports were 
pulled away the seats dropped and struck against 
the side of the pews, and made it more convenient 
for standing. At four o'clock we had the divinity 
lecture bv Professor Ware. He wore gown and 
bands, breeches, black stockings and shoes. He 
had just commenced his four years' course this 
term, and was now on the threshold ; that is, he 
was showing the grounds on which the Bible rests 
for its authority, the pref erableness of revealed to 
natural religion and atheism. He displayed much 
erudition in his discussions. To give an idea of 
eternity he said: "If you should pick up one, 
grain of sand from this earth at an interval of 
evei'j' thousand years, the earth would be removed 
in time, but eternity would yet remain; or, if you 
should take one drop of water from the ocean 
every thousand years the water would be ex- 
hausted in time, but eternity would stiU remain." 
To show the absurdity of the world's being made 
by chance, he said: "You might as easily form 
the pages of a printed book by the random throw 
of a handful of type." From the text: "The 
world by wisdom knew not God," he drew a lively 
picture of the gross superstition and ignorance of 
the heathen, who, though well-informed in other 
respects, yet knew not God. He showed the ab- 
surdity of the doctrines of all who did not enjoy 
the light of Revelation. His discourses were writ- 
ten with great taste, the style easy and his man- 
ner dignified, the language beautiful, and he reads 
slowly, with earnestness and proper emphasis. 

At chapel services the markmg monitor (Mr. 
"Hale) stood up facing the class and noted ab- 
sentees. If you came a few minutes after ser- 
vice had begun you were marked "tardy." Twice 
the students having taken a dislike to the person 
who prayed, scraped their feet on the floor, mak- 
ing a noise so as nearly to drown his voice. The 
president afterwards reprimanded them, and 
made an address on reverencing the house of God. 

THANKSGIVING DAY. 

On November 30 we had a plentiful dinner of 
roast turkey, pies, puddings, etc. As I was stand- 
ing in front of Commons hall Dr. Ware accosted 
me (to the wonderment of the students) and asked 
me to take tea at his house that evening. I was 
there presented to his wife, daughter Elizabeth 
and Ills sons Henry and John, with each of whom 
I had a pleasant talk. The doctor said the first 
generation of Puritans was more learned than 
their immediate successors, who had not had equal 
opportunities of education. He also said that 
John Quincy Adams thought Locke about as good 
a text-book to teach from asReid or Stewart. 



There was a seriousness in all JJr. Ware saia. iie 
did uot indulge in liglit and trivial talk. His con- 
versation, therefore, was valuable. He gave me 
advice us to ray reading, reconmiendiug history 
and books connected with my studies. 

"^ POST-OFFICE, ETC. 

Joseph S. Reed kept the post-offlce. We did not 
enter the house, but letters and papers were passed 
through the window to those outside. At night 
you could read your letters by the light of a cau- 
dle that stood in the Avindow. After the first rush 
for letters was over he made out a list of those re- 
maining on a half -sheet of foolscap, which he 
tacked up beside the wmdow so that he should not 
be needlessly called out of his back-room where 
he sat with his family. He could not at first catch 
my name. "jSFwwtmy^on, did you say?" I got the 
Friday's paper from New York on Tuesday and the 
Tuesday's paper on Saturday. 

On the Common almost every morning in the fall 
stood farmers in blue frocks with loads of wood 
for sale, drawn in from the country by a horse and 
yoke of oxen. Looking across the Common on the 
west side stood the little village schoolhouse where 
I have seen of a cool morning before school hours 
the larger boys chopping and splitting wood and 
the smaller ones carrymg it in for the day's fuel. 

Though students were liable to punishment for 
attending the theatre, yet one rainy mght (Novem- 
ber 1) a stage was hired and a load of us rode into 
Boston to hear McCready in Macbeth. I sat next 
Professor Ticknor, neither knowing the other, as I 
had left oft' my uniform. He complained of my 
elbowing him and I foolishly retorted. For this 
hardihood I became a short-lived hero among my 
fellows. 

PROFESSOR. WEBSTER'S 

chemistry was published while we were reciting to 
him. He had an assistant, but each student in 
turn was invited to manipulate, or to collect gas in 
a receiver under water. Their awkward attempts 
and failures were laughable. The look ef Web- 
ster's eyes was peculiar, and the picture of his 
countenance is yet fresher in my mind than that of 
any other professor. Monsieur Sales was instruc- 
tor in French. His hair was white with a queue. 
I bought a Wanostrocht, Nugent and Telemaqne. 
He was out of patience at my inaptitude. I told 
him I was a Dutchman and my vocal organs were 
not adapted to pronounce French. This angered 
him still more. 

The students often called on each other. H a 
tap at the door was not answered the caller passed 
on without trying the door. I sometimes read 
Shakespeare with Richmond, eachtaking a charac- 
ter. I knew of little of any visiting in the village. 
I had letters and called on Professors Farrar, 
Hedge, Ware and Willard. The last thought 
Stewart's Hebrew grammar _. a treasure ot 

learning. With a view ot learning Hebrew I had 
botight Simons's Bible and Lexicon. 

SCHOOL-KEEPING, 

About the last of November I happened to hear 
some students talk of going out Into the country 
to keep school. The lliought struck me that I 
would like to see a little of New England life and 



manners, ana also to test my capacity tor teacn- 
mg, so that if I failea my disgrace would not be 
known to my friends at home. I called on the 
president for permission. He got the rules, and 
pointing to "indigent students," asked if I came 
under that head? I had his consent. In a day or 
two, Tutor Lunt told me that Dr. Ware had an ap- 
plication from Hanson for a teacher at $16 and 
board per month. He added that it was a retued 
place, the people were small farmers, and I would 
have little or no society there. He gave me a let- 
ter to Dr. Kendal at Plymouth, as I would want to 
see the Rock. Having found Dr. Hedge a good 
man who had treated me kindly and given me 
good counsel, I now called on him again for advice 
in my new calling. He said: "Never turn your 
back on your school; obsta i^rincipiis, prevent the 
opportunity and mischief will seldom happen.*? I 
next went to Dr. Ware for final instructions. He 
sent the following letter to Hanson :— 

Cambbidge, Dec. C, 1823. 
To Dr. Calvin Tilden:— 

Sir,— I received your letter by mail this morn- 
ing, requesting me to procure a school- 
master. I attended immediately to the 
subject, and am fortunate in being able to 
procure one who I think will answer your wishes. 
Mr. Henry Onderdonk, jr., a respectable scholar of 
the junior class, has engaged to be at Hanson on 
Friday night, so as to begin his school on Monday 
following. I suppose this will be sufficiently sea- 
sonable notice for you to be ready to have the 
school opened at that time. I hope and trust that 
his residence with you will be pleasant to him and 
useful to those who will be placed under his in- 
struction. 

Yours, very respectfully, 

Henky Ware. 
HA>-sojr. 

On December 7, I left Cambridge for Boston, 
and found I must take the New Bedford stage. I 
then went to the barber's, and ealled on Mrs. 
Joseph Locke. I slept at Brigham's tavern, arose 
at six o'clock and went to the stage-house, and 
waited till seven, then rode about Boston to gather 
up passengers. I had a cold ride without break- 
fast. In conversation with the passengers (among 
whom was Rev. Dr. Dewey) I gathered a few hints 
on teaching geography by the map without the 
definition of rivers, lakes, etc., and also English 
grammar by referring to sensible objects in 
teaching nouns, etc. I left the stage at North 
Bridgewater at 12 o'clock, paid 25 cents for a poor 
dinner, and gave the tavern-boy a dollar to clrive 
me five miles in a chaise to Hanson. He set me 
down at Dr. Tilden's. I then went to the door and 
knocked. It was opened by a good-looking, well- 
behaved girl with a courtesy. I asked if Dr. Tilden 
lived here? "Yes, sir, will you walk in?" I fol- 
lowed her, and was helped to a chair, bat I pre- 
ferred standing before the Are. I told her I was 
sent by Dr. Ware to teach the school. She 
asked if I had ever taught before? I said 
"I had assisted in an academy," being ashamed 
to confess myself a novice. She said "the school 
was easy to govern," alluding to the di-orderly 
behavior of some schools. I replied : "I had no 
fear of that," pretending that I was very strict. 



irroiii a coriiei uuui iiuvv euttiieu a iiiue man 
■with a smile on his face, old-fashioned. This wa=; 
Dr. lilden. I advanced, gave hnn my hand and 
name, which I suppose he did not understand. I 
a'^kedif he was "Dr. Tilden who had written a 
letter to Dr. "Ware," telling him I was sent by Dr. 
Ware. After a little conversation I thought of 
my letter of introduction, and handed it to him. 
He could not at first make out my name. After 
readin"- my letter he appeared more pleased. He 
aWed if I had taken dinner. Aftei some farther 
conversation he proposed our riding to the school 
agent's. The doctor then put his nag before his 
well-worn chaise. After enjoying a very interest- 
ing ride we stopped at the agent's. His wife, who 
was busy boiling mince-meat, said "he was gone 
out." The doctor left me there and went oq to 
visit a patient, and I conversed with the lady, who 
was a Trinitarian. As we were returning 
homeward, we met Mr. Bonny, the agent. 
On beine told "this was the schoohnaster," 
he asked "for how much I was to keep?" He 
said : "The master must board where he could be 
boarded cheapest," This 1. did not like. Dr. 

Tilden replied that I "should be put in a good and 
respectable hou^e." We then stopped at the 
widow Barstow's; her husband, the minister of 
Hanson, had lately died. The doctor went in 
without knocking. 

We were received by a pert young miss of seven 
teen (afterwards found her a very good girl), were 
shown into the keeping-room with a painted floor. 
"This," the doctor said, "might be my fuUire 
boarding-house." The doctor asked for her 
mother and sister. Sarah soon came down stairs. 
She stooi>ed a little, and wore black buckskin shoes 
She was rather pale, and had on a blue bombazette? 
Jane had on a dark calico, and spoke quick. I 
was introduced as "the gentleman from Cam- 
bridge." The old lady wore a black dress, and ap- 
peared lather stern. When asked if she "could 
board the schoolmaster," she replied that "he had 
been used to fashionable life and could not take 
up with their coarse fare." Though embarrassed 
by her severity, my sense of politeness obliged me 
to make some' complimentary answer. However, 
after some talking it was agreed that "if the gen- 
tleman would take up with their living he might 
come." N. B. The old lady was on a visit to a 
neighbor's as I passed by the door, when the host- 
ess said: "Yonder goes Dr. Tilden with his Cam- 
bridge fop." The good folks, I believe, really 
thought me a "Corinthian," for they see little of 
city fashions. My broad-brimmed beaver, cane, 
pin, uniform coat, and pantaloons gathered up 
before so as in appearance to have no falls, must 
have excited attention. My gold watch, had they 
seen it, would have added to the rest. The very 
fact of being a student from Cambridge was 
enough in itself to raise me in their estimation. 

On our return home I was made uneasy by the 
pains taken to give me tea. Two kinds of cake, 
two of pie (for tney have pies for tea here), to say 
nothing of other good things. Tlie doctor had a 
very good collection of books, among them Brews- 
ter's Encyclopedia. In the evening I had a spirit- 
ed discourse with him. 1 impressed into my ser- 
vice Paley, Locke and Stewart, and discovered 
here that a little reading will enable one, for a 
short time at least, to appear learned, for most of 
■what I said was drawn from three mouths' study 



at Cambridge. 1 also spoke oi me errors oi 
education. Tliis was to the point. He tliouglit as 
I did, and told me how he had labored to get seien- 
tilic teachers in the schools. We talked very 
briskly till 9 o'clock, when I was shown into a 
convenient chamber, and what pleased me was a 
substitute for a washstand on the landing of the 
staircase. The bed was curtained. Thinking of 
my novel situation, the difficulty of keepiuo- ray 
school in order and making them learn, scfdis- 
Iracted me that I slept vei-y little all night. In the 
morning I arose somewhat late, had a good break- 
fast and then the Dr. began on the Trinity and 
was quite earnest. This talk was partly inter- 
rupted by the school-agent, who could find none 
to take me cheaper than Mrs. Barstow. He was 
pleased to find me a Trinitarian, but abruptly left 
us saying: "The Dr. and schoolmaster must visit 
him and then talk it over." 

The Dr. took me before dinner to the widow's, 
saying, "If 1 was not pleased v,'ith the family he 
would be mistaken." I replied: '-'So would I." 
He then carried my trunk in and I followed.* As 
it was near noon I stood up by the Are and con- 
versed freely with the family. Perhaps I was 
rather pedantic, for when a plate split 
in two by the too sudden aoplication of 
heat I showed the cause, referring it to chemical 
agency, and recommended the study of chemistry. 
Our dinner of codtish, boiled simply, potatoes and 
a gravy made by frying pork cut in strips, with 
brown Indian bread (the usual Saturday's dmner), 
was rather forbidding, but I yielded to circum- 
stances and ate with a good grace. An apple-pie 
concluded our homely fare. This became to me a 
very good dinner ever after. To show my conde- 
scension I put shingle panes iu the kitchen win- 
dows. I next took a view of my schoolhouse, 
which I found very open, old and poor, like many 
on Long Island. It was not painted ; a fire-place 
was at one end, with an entry on one side and 
wood-closet on the other. The tables stood on 
three sides of the room, and the girls had to step 
on them t.o hang up their bonnets, shawls and dm- 
ner-baskets. There were rude benches, without 
backs, for the smaller children, in the midiUe of 
the room. On my return Sarah told me that she 
had taught in the summer, and I asked her the 
mode of teaching and talked over school affairs 
generally. Without her advice I should have had 
poor success. I borrowed her copy-slips; (piills 
were in use, and I was an adept at pen-making. 

The school, which I supposed was less than thir- 
ty, I now fouud would exceed forty. I slept very 
little tliis and the next night from the school-fear, 
Before retiring I had a piece of cake— the same 
kind that was on the tea-table. By the way, our 
tea was more to my notion than the dinner. We 
had black tea and good plum-cake. I had a large, 
airy bedroom alone; a brass warming-pan had 
been passed through the sheets to take off the 
chill. The girls' dresses hung up in the room. 
The books ou the mantel-piece were Leslie's Re- 
view of the Deists and Morse's Geography. There 
was a table with a white cover and looking-glass, 
but no wash-stand, the morning's ablution being 
done in the kitchen. Our breakfast was o£ ry>e- 
coffee, rye-cakes fresh baked in a pan, and niieat 
—all very good. The brown bread was excellent 
also. On Sunday morning we read a chapter in 
the Testament as an act of devotion. I did not go 
to meeting, but ou asking Jane for "the text" she 



could not tell, it was a question my tatlier always 
asked ot me. In the evening a wood-fire was kind- 
led in the parlor, the floor of which was painted in 
fancy patterns, and Sarah introduced me tQ two 
of the heaux. 

On Monday morning, with troubled mind I went 
to the school. Dr. TiUleu having marshalled the 
scholars they rose to honor my entrance. I ap- 
peared as large as I could, and conversed a little 
with the doctor. When he left I made an off-hand 
address to the scholars and took down their 
names, which, as they were very long, was trouble- 
some. (This list I yet have.) 1 then heard them 
read. I was much confused. They could not 
understand my high-flown language. As I knew 
not the names of the scholars I could call them 
to me onlv by signs, and these they would not 
understand. The uncouthness of some of the chil- 
dren also smprised me. So ill-bred were they that 
they would not answer me politely, but made an 
ignorant stare or insignificant grin. Thus was I, a 
scholar of Harvard College, in the district school 
of Hanson. Sarah felt sorry for me, and thought 
I had no idea of the kind of school I was to take, 
and that I would soon leave. But I continued and 
was commended as a teacher ; the rough edge of 
the children's manners grew smoother, and we 
got along vei-y pleasantly together on the whole. 
Some apprentice boys had boasted that they would 
not let the master flog them, whereupon Dr. Til- 
den came in school and said if any boy resisted 
the teacher the trustees would come in and inflict 
corporal punishment. There were boys large 
enough to have pitched me out of the window, but 
these were the most orderly of all. 

Puzzling questions and hard sums were sent in 
to me by those who wish to sound the teacher's 
depth. Drs. Ware and Hedge had forgot to cau- 
tion me against these intermeddlers, so I accepted 
the questions in good faith. Some I solved, others 
I did not. 

The society in Hanson was sufficiently pleasant. 
Seldom was an evening's conversation carried on 
without some religious argument. Twenty years 
before the people, except two or three, were of one 
belief. Afterwards a few became Baptists, some 
Arminians and then Unitarians. The church was 
now thinly attended ; the pastor, the Rev. P. How- 
land, was a Hopklnsian. 

I called, by invitation, on Mr. Barker. He lent 
me Ballou's book on Universal ism. He had soup 
and pork for dinner. Not being used to fat salt 
pork I swallowed the slices whole without chew- 
ing. I also, on an evening, played cards with the 
ladies at Dr. Hitchcock's. The doctor could not 
pronounce my name, so he got a piece of chalk 
and had it written on the top of the Franklin 
stove so that he in ight spell it out. He was an 
army surgeon in the Revolution. He said (on learn- 
ing that 1 was Dutch) that he once on a Sunday 
morning stopped at a tavern in Jersey, and there 
was a crowd of people within and without. Re- 
turning in the afternoon he called at the same 
tavern, and all was lonesome. On inquiry the 
landlord said the crowd he saw was the Dutch con- 
gregation, who had now gone home. I felt 
ashamed that the Dutch had such a reputation, 
but I felt his description must be true from what 
I know of the drinking habits on Long Island be- 
fore and after church services on the Lord's day. 
On leaving school it was with regret that I parted 
with the amiable family where I had passed so 
many banny hours. I gave souvenirs to the daugli- 



f-ters anii-myTOGm-fumiture at CambrMge to tiie 
mother as a recognition of tlielr kindness. Mv 
success m teaching at Hanson dcterminca mv fu- 
ture vocation in life. ■' 

On leaving Hanson I called on Rev. Mr. Allen of 
li-embroke, who also carried on farming to eke out 
a livelihood. He took me on Sunday eveniuo- to a 
wedding The couple to be marriea stooTl un 
alone. He read a certificate from the justice of the 
peace, made a few remarks, the parties closed and 
loosed hands, and a nrayer closed the simole cere- 
mony. We then had the usual entertainment. We 
had so free and easy a conversation that on mv 
taking leave he playf ullj forgot my name and said : 
Mr Orthodox, when you come this way again I 
sha:i be glad to see you." '' "" " ^ 

j MX COLLEGE TEEM BILL FROM SEPTEMBER 1 TO DE- 
CEMBER 20, 182S. 

Steward & commoife S3 50 

Board in commons ". 24 2 > 

Rent of room ". .' g nn 

Careofroom ......'. 2 20 

Instniction 9n nn 

UseofUbrary j nn 

Books bought 4 Ys 

lectures 1 no 

Fire-wood .".'.".'.'.".'.'.'.'.'.'.'.' 5 40 

Catalogue, commencement dinner, etc ..'....'. 60 

Kepairs j qj 

Total ^YTs 

♦The Pr. said llie school committee would not examine 
me for being a college student I was ipso facto ciualihed; 
but he handed me this paper :— -f ^ 1 . 

-r.,- _^<^ .X. . „ Hanson, Dec. 9, 1826. 

_ i his certifies that the school committee of Hanson hav- 
ing satisfied themselves respecting the literary qualifica- 
tions of Mr. Henry Onderdonk, jr., do appoiit him as a 
teacher ot one of the pubUc schools iu said town. 
Per order, 

Calvin Tilden, 
For and in behalf ol the committee. 
^%^ 



THE GREAT DAY. 



The Nation's Centennial Anniversary 
and Its Observance in Jamaica 



'aiiiniea Gay in Uii> tiiiK ninl Firpworks — 
The Public ."•'cliool Flag Raising and tlie 
Programme of Kxerciscs at tlie Town Hall — 
Henry Onderdonk's Historical Ueminisen- • 
ces for Everybody to Read — Tlio Celebra- 
tion Elsewhere. 

The night of the third of July saw the 
beginning ot the deafening noise that was 
to be expected on the Fourth, and it was 
continued through the night. The firemen 
had taken extra i)recaution to guard against 
the destruction of property by having their 
machines equipped so that horses could be 
attached, and men had been detailed to 
duty with military discipline. It was only 
natural that they should m ike all the noise 
possible, and when the meandering youth 
with guns, pistols and small cannon added 
their thunder to that of the horse fiddles 
and fish horns, it became a pondemonium 
that murdered sleep and called forth the 
execrations of the less patriotic and slug- 
gish. 

THE BEAUTIFUL DAWN 

of morning left no doubt that 'old Sol 
would scoi-ch and burn with a fierceness 
equal to the few preceding dayp, and made 
those who loved quiet and comfort betake 
themselves to other regions. Eockaway 
was the favored place. Still, enough re- 
mained at home to make the celebration 
interesting, and there was no apparent 
diminution of interest, or "cessation of 
hostilities" by Young America. The can- 
non for which the Committee paid §60 was 
about equal to one or two owned in the 



village which could have been had for the 
asking ; but as it was only anxilliary no 
particular interest was taken in it, and it 
could well have been dispensed with. 

THE FIRST OF THE EXEICISES. 

It had been arranged that the new flag 
for the school building should be raised at 
half- 153 st eight. The attendance was quite 
large, but the exercises by the school did 
not justify the previous announcement. 
Very few of the children took part, and the 
singing was weak and uninspiring. Miss 
Addie Pearsall raised the flag, and Lewis 
L. Fosdick, Esq., delivered a very appro- 
priate address — liberal in its conception, 
patriotic, and imbued with commendable 
public spirit. "Let criticism be full and 
free, but let it be fair," said Mr. Fosdick, 
and every liberal mind will say Amen ! 

THE PROGRAMME AT THE HALL. 

At ten o'clock the large room of the Town 
Hall was three-fourths full. Rev. J. V. 
Saunders made the opening prayer. Miss 
Holland read the Declaration of Independ- 
ence, and John J. Armstrong delivered the 
oration. Mr. 'i'readwell read his original 
ode, composed especially for the occasion : 

THE CENTENNIAL ODE. 

From each mountain's granite peat, 
Where the eagles refuge seek; 
From each hillside, from each plain, 
Where is heard the shepherds' strain; 
From the city's strife and din, 
With its wickedneps and sin ; 
From each hamlet, village, town, 
From each farmhouse old and brown; 
From our whole united land. 
To its uttermost expand, 

let the shout 
From the hearts of all ring out, 
That a nation glad and free 
Celebrates its jubilee. 

Free from Maine's untrodden enowp, 
To where the Rio Grande flows; 
Free from the Atlantic's waves. 
To the coast Pacilic laves; 
Free in Lact as well as name. 
Write it on the scroll of fame, 
Read it, all ye nations round, ' 
Head it ye who've long been bound, 
Head it writ by truth's own migbt, 
Every man shall have his right. 

Worth alone. 
Based on raeiit we enthrone, 
And invite tbe world to see, 
Freedom's own prosperity. 



We have maidens bright and fair, 

Pure as wbite wiiigea seraphs are, 

We have men as bold and brave 

As e'er fought their land to save, 

We hnve manliood in its prime. 

Youth to guard our future time, 

Age its wisdom to impart. 

Freedom's home to cheer the licart, 

By the present aud the past 

We will swear tliat to the last. • 

We'll defend 
Freedom's birthright to the end ; 
For her glories take our stand 
And jirotect our native land. 

God and country be our boast, 

'Mid life's changes uppermost. 

Scions of a noble stock, 

8ous of men, of Plymouth rock, 

Sons, whose fathers side by side, 

Fought in Freedoms cause and died; 

Men above ignoble tricks, 

Martyr men of sev'uty-si.f. 

Let us worthilj' engage, 

Pure to keep our hciitage. 

Worthy prove 
To the names we honor, love, 
Cherished, for our nation's worth , 
Through their death throes wrought its hiilli. 

One hundred years I 

What hopes, what fears. 

What joys, what tears, 

What p] ogress made, 

What error stayed. 

What might displayed. 
Where once a wilderness appeared. 
Where once the savage foe was feared, 
Where scarce a white man's foot had trod. 
Or ploughshare turned the pristine sod; 
VVhere o'er a vast and wide domain. 
The savage and wild beast held reign, 
Now city, town and hamlet stand, 
While all about, on every h.^nd. 
Prosperity has blest our land. 

Titanic po\^er. 

Crowns eveiy hour. 

On every hand, 

Thi' triumphs grand. 

Of hODest toil we see. 

Millions of hands. 

Like iron bauds 

I-lold in their grasp, 

With firmest clasp. 

The fruits of industry. 
From Maine unto the Goiden Gate, 
From Oregon to Soulhmost State, 
Each mighty river, lake and stream. 
With tratic's busy minions team; 
From valley, plain, and mountain gorge,* 
The smoke ot furnace, noise of forge; 
Tne mingled hum of busy whor-ls. 
The magic pulse of commerce feels. 

The giant steam. 

Like fabled dream. 

Wakes into life, 

To aid the strife. 
The Iron steed ils master knows, 
Harnessed by science 'gainst ils foes. 



On beds of steel, with raiglity power. 
Dashing at fifty miles an hour. 

Plougliiiig the sea, 

lielentlessly, . 

• ThrowiiiiT the spray. 

As if in play. 
The proud ship starts from home away. 

Magnetic wire, 

With tongue of lire, 

Man's wants maUu known. 

From farthest zone, 
Along the ocean's briny bed, 
With miles of glinting spray o'erliead; 
Through forest deep and mountain glen. 
O'er prairie vast, where e'er hath been. 
The foot of man, there soteuce rears 
Her trophies, crowning all the years, 
I'rogiess appears on every hand, 
Ours is a most progressive land. 
The lad oi "sey'iity-six" knows more: 
Of science, than the man of yore; 
Each college and academy, 
A bulwark is of liberty; 

And knowledge helps in eveiy state, , 

Our freedom to perpetuate. 
Our laws have opened wide the door, 
Knowledge is frye to rich and poor ; 
No law of caste or irktoine rules, 
God bless the nation's common school.'Jv. 

Our cburch and State 

Are separate. 

While conscience free, 

We worship Thee, 
Oreat soarce ol all divinity. 
Dark were tlie days at freedom's birth, 
'Tho hope had not forsook the earth; 
Sturdy men were the men of yore. 
Hearts of oak in their bosoms bore. 

Many a name, 

Nnro ii«ar tO fame, 

i<rom out the gloom and darkness came. 

And freedom's throes 

Were fraught with woes, 
For hers weie most relentless foes. 
They could hear the reveille call to arras. 
It was answered from workshops, schools and farms] 
All over tho land the patriot cry ' 

Was fight for your freedom, conquer or die ; ' 

Liberty's boon must be fought for if wou, } 

Mother and daughter urged" father and son; 
The trusty musket was shouldered with pride, 
As a tyrant's wrath bold freemen defied. 
Untrained and unskilled in the arts of war. 
But fired with a zeal that was better far. 
It mattered but little what did oppo.se, 
They were more than a match for British foes. 
They knew not of fear, its meaning or name. 
But marelied to tbefrontas brave Putnam came^ 
His plough in the furrow left standing still, 
While he grasped his gun with an iron will. 

Brave as the men of Bunker Hill, 
Like statues standing grim and still, 
'Till Prescott's sword was seen to rise. 
As shown the whites of British eyes; 
Twice the enemy cliarged the hill, 
"Fire low" was Prescott's order still, 
'Till powder gone, each ball of lead 
Lodged in a British "red coat's'' head. 



We'v«( raisea a monument to tell 
WheBe patriots with brave Warren fell • 
And »8 the years roll on we still ' 

Shall speak witli pride of Bunker Ilill. 
Km- seven yeais 
AVith groans and teaia, 
Raffl'd by hope, alarmed with'feaiF. 
'1 he^v struggled on 
. 'Jill all wan djuc. 
And vict'ry crowned what valor won. 

tears? ''° ''°°'^ °' human joys and 

'm'h:.;oc mad? bv 'nr •■ '"^r '" **•«« enlightenment, 
treasure ™pJI,t ^ ^"^ """^ '^"'^'^' '^e blood and 

Tii^t^z/n :alt;^'hUS•Tht"^ I "^""^-f ^-- »^o^ 

Wo see the heroes oth - Jl!'' fhown wuh steady glow; 

fray "" ''' I^enumgton, say just before the 

^''\'o.'d^j*"^^'''"''''''^ widow, boys," unless we win 
^ ^affrig'llu Hessians bit the dust, or flew in mad 

Ten *'thousan^'".'Mi';^'°" t'^ ^°" ^ ''^"'e for the right. 
GenemrReedr'''' ^"S'^'"''^ ^'"^ ^-^l °^-^^^ 

Brave was' hTs'T''^"' .?r"«'^ '" ^^-^ «°re8t hourof need ; 

said he, ^''^'"■' ^ "'" "°^ worth purchasing," 
But Kneland could not even hn,r c^ ^ 
The Winter spent at Valle IjJ P""' " ™*", ''','",''• 

est night, • -f"oige, our country's dark- 

"^^ wm?id wf''t' • ""'""" "'"^ ^^'"^' f=^'^ ^•'•«-'l°"^'^ ^--^"^-^ 
But^mid tho.4 tr'ying scenes appe .red the guidi„g hand 

Tbe^Isnudites their JToses had, ,., !>aU pur Wash,.g. 

We stand upon the threshold of another centurv 
But no plummet can determine its depth of mVsterv • 
We are ages m advance of a hundred vearsa-'o ^ ^ ' 
And^^wl.o^can tell the progress the Vext' century will 

Un,VvHm,?!^'r "^ f^"'""'^''' fl'-'velopment* of art, 
Uu.avellmg of mysteries that now we know in nart • 
Vhl r'nl!^V'%°^ philosophy yet feebly unZrs oo'^^ ' 

hood ; ^^" '" ^'"^ "'^"''^'"'^ in common brother- 

Relations'that our system bears to all the starry spheres • 
T'^7e,':-^f«'"''>«'^«avens, through the ma^y "iycHng 

'^"'"'liTircrusf.'''^""'^'^^^"'''"^ ''^ ?'••""■'« "-umtr. 

Rl'uH^n'" ",'.'""1'^^ "''■"'''■«' have been resolved in dust 
Relation mat_tor bears to mind in all its mysterv 

Wh'elvlnst ;f t ' '^"V'^"'"r ''"^ "e'-^^u'cs'of t'he'sea; 

bikl.'orBnUe"'^ '""" '■"'^°" ''^^"^ '"^ "-"• - 

^'■'shoor"'' '"■'' '° ^^'■'"'na'e or tender shrub to 



Great God, before Thy pearchinsr eye, 
All darkr ess fades, all shadows fly, 
On Thee alone we may rely. 
And Thou alone canst satisfy. 
Unveil the brightness of Thy face. 
That shadow may to li6;ht eive place. 
And man inspired by God shall see, 
What now is wrapped in mystery. 



Our country, land of all the earth, the one tou.j most fair, 
Where rich and poor, and high and low, breathe fiee- 

dom's holy air; 
Where the i oor man is tlie peer of the wealthiest in 

the land, 
And the only test demanded is an honest heart and band 
May thy banner always wave in its maJL'Sty and might. 
The exemplar of true freedom and symbol true of right, 
That the nations from afar, as they gifte from o'er the sea 
May honor thee, Columbia, land of the brave and free. 

Eev. Dr. Van Slyke followed in a brief 
address, which was well timed, and fitly 
chosen. Henry Onderdonk, Jr., Esq., was 
then introduced. It was his allotted part 
to read an historical essay of the men and 
action of Jamaica a hundred years ago ; the 
part her sons took in the war for iudepend- 
endb, and the revolutionary incidents 
connected with Jamaica. Mr. Onder- 
donk had but just entered on the most 
interesting par^ of the narrative, 
when the bells began to ring, and Mr. Bal. \ 
lard, without any apology to Mr. Onder- 
donk or the audience, announced that the 
exeitises would close with the singing of 
the " Star Spangled Banner." The histor- 
ical address was regarded as the most in- 
teresting feature of the day's exercises, 
and the abrupt and ungentlemanly manner 
in which it was eliminated caused just and 
general indignation. There is a very 
general demand for the publication of the 
address, and we cheerfully comply, givino- 
so much thereof as space will permit in 
this issue, hoping to conclude it in our 
npxt. 



IllaminatioiL? and Decoratioiis en 

tho4tii. 

IN JAMAICA. 

At the residence of Col. Aaron A. Do- 

grauw, President ,of the village, there was 
a display of tlre-works—rookets, fireballs, 
colored lights, lire-balloons, etc. The 
spacious grouttds in front were ta,stefhlly 
decorated with flags, colored la^tei-ns, and 
other designs; the lanterns hanging in 
grouds and festooned under the trees so 
that the general eiToet was very beautiful. 
The front of the house was also tastefully 
decorated with flags and lanterns. There 
was a largo company of ladies and gentle- 
men assembled, and the lavish hospitality 
of the C!oIonel and his family was much en- 
Joyed. An incident of the cver-irig here 
was a visit of the "fire laddies" who ware 
handsomely entertained and- who left with 
"Three cheers for President Degrauw and 
his wife." 

The decorations at the resideneo of Geo. 
n. Greed were tastefully arranged, and 
showed good judgment in tho matter of 
arrangement and selection of articles used 
for the occasion. Mr. Creed had 1 ho larg- 
est American flag floating, in tho village. 

Mr. Abm. L. JDogart's residence presented 
a very neat and acceptable appearance. If 
the Union colors ever showed to good ad- 
vantage they did then and there. Illumin- 
ated in the evening. 

Stehlin's segar store, and Barget's drug 
store looked uice, and were tastefully ar- 
rayed in flags and evergreens. 

Peck's Hall of Pharmacy attracted mueli 
attention. Tiio docoratii>n3 Wrire oiaborat€ 
and handsome. In one of the lavge froni 
windov/s wore tasteful transparent papc. 
figures, 1776, and in the other 1876. Flag, 
covered tho building from roof m sidewalk 



a l£,rgo circlejoi flags Avith an eagle lu tli^ 
centre, swung in the doorway. At nigh 
all the frout windows in the building wer 
illmainatod withia candle in every pane d 
glass, relieved by two small flags tria,ngu 
latcd, and colored lanterns swayed acrosi 
the front. 

BenJ. Y/. Vandervoort decorated the Post 
OlSce window in a neat and tasty manner, 
and when illuminated in the evening, had a 
pleasing effect. B. Faber, next door, shoe 
store made a grand display of iiags and il-* 
laminations in his window. 

The decorations at the rooms of the Eod 
and Rifle Association, both inside and out, 
elicited the praise of all observers. At 
night the Illumination was very attractive 
and haiidsoiao. Much to the disappoint- 
ment of the Association and the public, a 
large number of whom had assembledi 
patiently waiting for the "l^and to play," tho 
jiiiisicians failed to put in an appearance. ' 

Centennial Hall, on Wasliington st., as 
well a.8 the dwellings of Messrs. Joseph B. 
and John Everitt were elegantly decorated ; 
the Hall was a beautiful sight, viewed from, 
any point, bedecked witli flags of all nationsi 
wliilo high above all, proudly fioatod thoi 
stars and stripes from the stalfs on either, 
end of the building. 

Mr. Charles H. Huntting made a. grand 
display of flags, both outside and inside of 
his dwelling. Illuminated in the evening. 

The following list comprises some of the 
most pronuuent decorations of tlie day : 

On Fulton St., George Snary, ex-Sherif 
Durland, J. B. Kolyer, Mrs. SpIUett, Jacoi 
Gins, Geo. M. Bcjinett, Nostrand & Semson 
Mr. Marten, Richard Brush, James T. Le^ 
Is', Eiijali Raynor, Thos. W. Clary, John El 
Briackerhoff, Edf7ardsBros., Geo. E. Till^ 
Nathan Cohen, Jc-;. T-emiisrd, E. W.Halse; 
"Fulton club," Paul Barthol, Brush's Coj 



tral Market, Dr. &. Sendrickson, Hon»Mo 
ris Fosdick: Ephraim Baylis, John "Wois; 
Smith B. Crossraan, Cojiklla's Photo Gal 
lery, Jas. A. Flaury, Ph.ilip Hardonbrook 
Mrs. Jolm M. Johnson, Mrs. S. L. Spcider 
Jolm H. Sutphin, Bcnj. E. Vandervoort, 
Ezra W. Conklln, Abm, H. Eemsen, Johr 
Hirst, Frank G. Crossraan, Mra. S. J. Young 
George W. Damon, Thomas J, Wayno and 
Biehs.rd Eustced, 

On Canal st., Foster B. Hondrickson, L= 
M. Jaggar, Amos Douton.' 

On Puntina St., Charles Welling, Wm. L. 
pontou, Mrs. Orchard. 

Abram BeBovoise, and Joseph Ashnicad, 
on Soutbst., mado a very attractive display 
Oi Lao's, .ountiiig and color3cl Ij-iitc-riis. 

On Clinton ave., Dr. Beldia, Geo. Skid- 
more, Col. Wm. Cogswell, Theo. J. Cogs- 
well, Bev. G. Williamson Smith, Peter W; 
Remsen. 

On Union ave., Stephen Shannon, Augus- 
tus Treadwell, C. H. Harris, B. F. He^i;etl. 
Mrs. G. S. Bennett, Hondrick Lott, Prot. 
Eng. Co. No. 1, Hook and Ladder Co. No. 
1, Itichard Ehodcs, Jolm C. Acker. 

On Horriman ave., Mrs. M. L. McCormick, 
A. Dunham, Samuel S. Aymar, Benj. Rob- 
ertson, Wm. Shaw, Lewis L. Fosdiek, Benj- 
J. Breuton. 

Union Hall st., Hon. Alexander Hagner, 
J. B. Robertson, Mrs, Shelton, Jos. Bowden, 
0. J. Stewart, John M. Crano. 

Wo liavo endeavored to name all who 
decorated or illuminated on that occasion: 
if we have omitted any name it is an ovor- 
sight. 

The St. Joseph's Brotherhood !iad a pic 
nic on Prospect Lawn. There was a very 
large assemblage who had a good time. 



The Capiiiie ot Fori Ht. «;c'orgc. a? iiastl*-, 
on the South Side nt Imuk Islam!, 



BT COL. TALLMADGE, NOV, 22, 1780. 




During tho Kevolutionary war the British 
had possession of Long Island; and their 
adherents occupied the houses and lands of 
the Whigs who fled from their home?. 
Among the refugee Whigs from Suffolk 
county was Gen. John Smith, whose pos- 
sessions covered several thousand acres of 
woodland now in tenure of E. Tanjore 
Smith. 

Having heard that the enemy were cut- 
ting off immense quantities ot his wood and 
sending it to the New York market where it 
sold for a high price. Smith applied to Gen. 
VVashington for a force to be sent over to 
dislodge these depredators who had erected 
a substantial Fort and a picketed enclosure 
for their defence. 

Col. Tallmadge was entrusted with the 
management of a secret expedtion for this 
purpose. He crossed tho sound with So 
men, hid his boats in tlte bushes by tho 
water side and marched by night across 
the Island, from Old Mans to Mastic. On 
his route he called at a house where Mrs. 
Smith T/as staying after having been 
driven from her own by the loyalists, told 
her his destination, and expressed an ap- 
prehension that in the conflict he might be 
compelled to destroy her house which the 
loyalists had embraced within their fort.— 
" Destroy it and welcome, if you can drive 
out those Tories," replied this patriotic 
dame. 

Tallmadge now took Wm. Booth for a 
guide and as he neared the sentry of the 
Fort, he crept along the ground, and 
watched till his bick was turuod wheu he 
rushed on and tiie sentinel was dead be- 
fore he knew whence the bayonet thrust 
came. 



The I ort was at once invested and the 
w;itch-vvord "Washington and Glory " was 
shouttd forth sioiisitanoously on the three 
sides, as the victors cut down the pickets 
and rushed into the centre of the parade. 
Thus v\ !is the Fort taken by sarpri&e and 
almost without a blow. Aa the victors 
stood elated with joy a volley of musketry 
was discharged on them from the 2ad story 
of Mr. Smith's house, which formed a cor- 
ner of the stockade. In an instant the 
doors were broken in by the enraged 
Americans who darted up sttirs and pitched 
all ihe men they could lay hands ou out of 
the windows — they having forteiue I their 
iivoj,, !,y tiie rules of war. All vvould have 
been massacred on the spot had not Col. 
Talbuadge humanely interfered and Elopt 
the carnage. In 10 minutes all was quiet 
again. 

It was now sunrise, and never did Sun 
rise more pleasantly to exulting captors. 
Having secured their prisoners, demolished 
the fort, burnt the vessels at the dock, and 
^lestroyed an immense quantity of goods, 
they set out on their return, and as if this 
were not glory enough for one day Col. 
Tallmadge, on his way back, detached a 
party to Corum, who burnt an immense 
quantity of bay stacks (300 ton), intended 
for the British Cavalry in New York City. 

There was no exploit of partisan warfare 
during the whole Revolution that exceeded 
this. Col. Tallmadge in 21 hours marched 
40 miles, captured a Fort, destroyed all 
the military stores, burnt 300 tons of for- 
age, and carried off upwards of 50 prison- 
ers ; and all this without the loss of a 
single man ! We need not wonder that he 
received the particular commendation of 
W^ashington. 

The vestiges of the olt] Fort are still td 
be seen at Smith's Pt.iut, Mastic, where the 
writer iiereof was shown and told many 
things that have never yet found their way 
into history . The Col. committed the pre- 
ceding plan a,nd sketch to paper for the 
benefit of his children who now possess the 
maauscript. 

Fort St. George was OG feet square, and 
as \> ill be seen by the above cut, wfis con- 
nected Ijy a strong stockade with General 
Smith's Mansion and a smaller housCv 
Those were both barrioaded, and troui the 
larger house, it v/ay, that the Tories tire,d 
on Cul. Tallmadge attor tiie capture of the 
i''ort. The doited line denotes the, passage 
I .' Cvl. Tt;!Li.adge thropgh the pickets and 
,■• re into lao main Fo^'t, ,, 

• Hkis^^^uJUEBDOnk, Jr. 



ATTACK OX LLOYD'S WECK. 



Jaly 13th, irSl. 



LONG island's CONTRIBUTION TO THE CENTENNIAL, B Y HENRY ONDEBDOKK, JR. 

LONG ISLAND SOUND. 
4 



.5 33 




^ ColASpring. 



The repulse of the combined French and 
American forces at Lloyd's Neck, July 12th, 
1781. — Narative of a spectator of the conflict. 

During^ the Eevolutionary war the 
British took possession of Lloyd's Neck, 
and erected a small i<'ort there for the pro- 
tection of woodcutters, who were mostly 
refugees from New England. Lloyd's 
Neck, at that time, was covered with the 
finest and largest growth of timber im- 
aginable, some trees growing to the 
height of 40 or 50 feet before a single 
branch put forth. The refugees gained a 
livelihood for themselves and their families 
by cutting down these noble trees for fire- 
wood, and sending it to New York, where 
fuel was in great demand for the use of 
the King's army cantoned there during the 
idle hours of winter. 

The Americans had made sundry pre- 
datorial attacks on this peninsula by 
night, and carried ofE some property and 
prisoners, but on the arrival of the French 
tieet at Newport, it was concluded to fit 
out a more formidable expedition in hopes 
of exterminating this troublesome nest of 
refugees. 



The expedition failed as to its main ob- 
ject, from an ignorance of the real strength 
'of the post, and of the localities , but it re- 
sulted in alarming the enemy so muchi 
■that they soon after abandoned the post. 

This affair on account of its failure, is 
not described in any history of the Revolu- 
tion, and is barely alluded to in a letter of 
Washington. This must be my apology 
for giving a sketch of it from memory as 
it was detailed to me by an eye-witness, 
"Wm. Ludlam, of Hog Island, who lately 
died at a very advanced age. 

Mr. Ludlam was not a Whig, but from 
his quiet disposition, continued a Loyalist. 
His goodness of heart, however, would not 
allow him to harm any human being, 
friend or foe. He was just grown at the 
time of the American defeat at Brooklyn, 
and out of mere curiosity, walked down to 
the battle ground, saw the dead, and the 
ground covered with the scorched paper of 
which the cartridges had been made. 

He was a tailor by trade, and living, as 
he did, on Hog Island, in an exposed situa- 
tion, his house, or rather Squire Smith's, 
with whom he lived, was now and then 
robbed by Connecticut whale boat men. 
Once, in the fall of the year, Mr. Ludlam 
had on hand a large quantity of cloth and 
made up clothing, the property of the 
neighboring farmers, which had accumu- 
lated on his hands, and which he had not 
yet had time to return to their respective 
owners; when suddenly, one night, the 
door was broke in, the house plundered, 
and all the garments and cloth carried off ! 
Thus was a whole neighborhood in a meas- 
ure deprived of their winter clothing and a 
sorry tale was there for Mr. Ludlam to tell 
his disappointed customers ! 

But I am digressing from my story. 
One fine summer day, in 1845, I crossed in 
a boat from the pleasant village of Oyster 
Bay to the residence of the venerable man. 
He was somewhat dull and careless, at the 
first few questions I put to him ; but when 
I spoke of olden times and the Eevolution, 
the tears came in his mild and somewhat 
bedimmed eye, his voice faltered^; I had 
struck a tender chord, had reminded him 
of the days of his youth — of troublous 
times. In a few moments he recovered 
himself, and as the recollection of times 
long past came to his mind, his conversa- 
tion took a cheerful and spirited tone. He 
related anecdotes and adventures of all 
kinds. 

" Come," said he, taking his cane and 
his broad brimmed hat, "let us go on to 
the hill and I will describe to you the 
attack by land and water which the 
French and Americans made on Lloyd's 
Neck. I saw it with my own eyes as I was 
binding wheat sheaves in my harvest field 
I just 64 years ago." 



For a clearer understanding of the 
matter, I made a rude sketch of Hog 
Island, and of Lloyd's Neck, which lies 
east of it. When we reached the field at 
(a), the old gentleman gave me a descrip- 
tion of Lloyd's Neck as it was in the Ee vo- 
lution. Pointing with his cane towards 
(6), "There,"- said he. "was the Fort built 
to protect the wood cutters, and used also 
as a depot for hay and straw which was 
collected from the adjacent country and 
shipped to New York. The French fleet 
landed a party of 250 men at (c), who 
were to attack the Fort in the rear, but 
they got bewildered, and when at last they 
reached the Fort, they found it bettor de- 
fended than their spies had led them to 
expect. In truth the guns had been 
mounted only the day before ! So unex- 
pectedly did the refugees discharge their 
grape shot, that the French (who had 
neglected to bring any artillery) at once j 
retreated, leaving behind some surgeon's 
instruments, lint, bandages, port-fire, &c., 
and the grass besmeared with blood. 

At the same time with the attack on the 
rear of the Fort, and to draw off the atten- 
tion of the British refugees, a French sloop 
of war hove to at (/), but could bring 
only one gun to bear on the Fort. She 
also attempted to cut out a British 10 gun 
brig that lay at (c) under cover of the guns 
of the Fort. 

The main body of the French fleet, how- 
ever, after landing the men at (c) sailed 
into the mouth of Huntington Harbor and 
attacked some British vessels that had 
run into a small creek for shelter at (h), a 
portion of whose crews had already landed 
and mounted a few guns in battery at (g), 
by which they hoped to keep off the 
French shipping. In this they succeeded, 
for as soon as the French Admiral was ap- 
prised of the failure of the attack on the 
landside of the Fort, he at once abandoned 
the attempt, sailed to a preconcerted spot, 
took on board his defeated marines and re- 
turned to Newport, saying very little about 
his repulse. Flaming paragraps were, of 
course, put forth in Eivington's Eoyal 
Gazette, as a terror to the rebels and an 
encouragement to the King's loyal sub- 
jects." 

Baron De Eeidesel writes to Gen. Delan- 
cey, to thank Capt. Young's officers and 
troops, and Capt. Van Wyck's company of 
foot, and such of the Queens County 
militia as turned out for their aleitne? s 
and willingness to assist Col. Uphav i. 
But it grivcs him to reproach the Huntir .g. 
ton militia for their unwilling conduct rmd 
absolute neglect of supporting Col. Upb am, 
commandant of the Fort that -was attacfcfd!' 




Firs! Ret: Prol. Dulch Chu ,vh alJamai.a LI. 



HISTORICAL SKSTCII 

OF TliE 

FIKST MEF. PHOT. D-Wmi €i 

OF 

JAMAICA. 

As the Corner Stone of the First Reformed Pro- 
testant Dutch Church of Jamaica will this day he 
laid, we have thought it not inappropriate to insert i 
in our impression of to-day the fullowiDg brief 
sketch of the History of this ancient Church and of 
its ministers — more especially as this paper will be 
placed with other documents iu the Corner Stone. 

In 1701-2 Domirif l^upaidus, \linister of the Re- 
formed Dutt'li Churches of Kings County died and there 
was no Dutch mini^^tt'r rfsidctit on the Island for three 
or four years. There h;id also been a steady emitrration 
of the Dutch from Kings County info the western purl 
of Jamaica asd periiaps in other parts of Queens Coun- 
ty. SuW the particular circumstances under which the 
Church at Jamaica was orojanized are now unknown. 
We do know, however, from the Record of baptisms 
that a church existed here as enrlv as June 19th, 1702. 
Tlie otbciatiug niiuister probahly came for tiie firtit year 
or twofrom New York City at times convenient to liini- 
jSelf. 

For fourteen years the co!i(,n-opation hnd no place of 
worship of their own, but as a stone church had been 
already built at the expense of the Town, they doubt- 
less used that in common wiili the Episcopalians and 
Preshyterians at tinit-s muiually ajireed upon. 

On the 15lh of April, 171.0, subscription papers were 
circulated thronuhout Queens County tor building a 
l^^formed Dutch (hnrch in Jamaica, that villaj,'e being 
then the county town. Indeed so early as Dc-c. '29th, 
1709, the Church irt Jamaica had agreed with the Church- 
es of Kings County for the services of Domines Free- 
man and Antonides at £iO per annum for which they 
were to have preaching every third Itiunday — twice a 
day during summer. 

On the r'-th day of June, 1716, the Church had been 
completed and seats were allolt.-d to subscribers. 

In 17-27, tiie congce^alion in Queens C<.unly wished 
to be set olf from Kings County and have a pastor to 
themselves, giving as reasons ihat the co^igrcgation was 
widely dispersfuir that more Churches were needed in 
Queens County to accommodate some who had to tiavcl | 
over 20 miles en tho Sabbath, that they were surrnnnded | 
by Quakers and Anabaptists, that their young people by ^ 
reason of infrequent worship were going olf to olhcr^ 



Churfhe'"-, inteitinrryinff uiiii the l'';rinlisli — all whilm 
mifjlit be obviiited by having more frecjucnl worship uiid 
a ifsident ininisl.r. 

Tlic imrm-diiUe re.-uUof 'his petition we do'not know, 
but wp find that en the 23d of July, lliero weie tour 
Outch Ciiuiclics in Queens County and they iipreed lo 
give Doujii.e Van Busten £11) ptr aimniii for liis servi- 
ce.s. 

On the 19th of April, 1741, the Churches of Queens 
County httd wnited nine years for a minister from Hol- 
hind, but none came. Tliey thereupon nisuie a cmII on 
Domino John Henry Goethohius wtio was installed at 
Jamaica by D«imine b'reeman. On the 4th of September 
of the same year ten acres of land in Jamaica were 
boii',f!it for a l^irsoniige at a co>t of ^185- 

Doniine G letseliius not having been ordained in [lol 
land hut by Oomiiie i'orsius of the German Reformed 
Church, the eonj^re^ation began to feel doubts of the 
validity of his otHci.il acts, a schism followed, Goetsehi- 
us resigned and many of the children were baptized over 
again. 

On the I9tli of Sept., 1752, the congregations of 
Queens County united in a call on Thos. Ilomeyn, a 
student of 'i heology, on condition that lie should go to 
IJoiland for ordination, which he accordin<.'ly did and 
was installed at Jamaica by Domino Verbryck on the 
J 0th day of November, 17.'>4. 

Domine Romevn's first sermon was from Psalni'^, 
119:9. On the foih of June, 1760. he celebrated th- 
Communion for the 10th time in Jamaica, and on the 
30th of November following he preached his farewell 
discourse from Kphes. 6:24. 

'i'here does not ajipear to have been an immediate suc- 
cessor to Komevn, as we find on the 18th of April, 
1703, tliat the Rs-'v. Abra. Keteltas received JSi6.5s. as! 
his half year's sal.iiy. 

On the IG h of Kebruary, 176!i, Domine Van de Hoe- 
leu was installed as Pastor by Domine Van Sindcren — i 
the text was from Ileb. 13:7. Domine Roelen's fust: 
sermon was from Psalm 3i:12. lie continued as Pas- 
tor of the four Churches till a!)0ut 1772, though he oc- 
casionally preached and baptised till 1780, when being a 
Lotalist, ii is supposed he I ft the country. 

On the 11th of June, 177.5, Domine l"'roelio;li was or- 
dained Pastor over the Cliurches of Clueens County by 
Domine De Rondo at JauKiica. Being a Wh.ig, after 15 
months of uiisnecessful lahor here he flod from the 
Island to escape the vengeance of the British. 

During the Revolution the Church was occupied by 
ihe enemy as a store-house, and the Dutch ministers 
from Kind's i'ounty Oo-casiunaily visit'-d the congrega- 
tions in Queens County and bapfizi-d their children. In 
.famaicil the use of the Episcopal Cliurch was allowed 
them. 



After t!i<! war.tho rhiircii >.v;is ropaireJ and in tlie ear- 
ly part of 1783 Domiiie Van Nesl v\M3 iiisUilUJ. lie 
lofl in 1797. 

On tlie 13th of .Ii;!y, 1-791, Doniine Knypors sv.is or- 
(1, lined bv Rov. .lohn H. iJvingsfon at r^iiccess, is Co- 
|i:istor vviiii Domilie Van Nest of lUo Collegiate Cliareh- 
os of Queons County. Tlie text was lippruiiiiate to 
ilie season of the ye<ir — "The harvest truly is plenteous, 
ijQt the labourers are few." Domino Knypers preu-lu'd- 
his farewell sermon in the same Church, April lOtli, 
1825, having retired from the chara;e of tlie other three 
Churches at different times previously. 

On the 'JOlli of April, 1802, the connexion of the four 
Dutch Churches of Queens County was terminated ; and 
on thi3 21th of October following the Rev. Jacob Si iioon- 
maker was ordained by Don)ine Jackson at Newtown as 
joint-pastor with Domine Knvpers of the Churches of 
Newtown and Jamaica. In 18.S0 Rev. Dr. iSclioonmaker 
resij/ned the charge of the Church at Jamaica, havin<f re 
linqnished that of Newtown the year before. 

'I he Rev. G. J, Garretson was on the 6th of Janaiiry.' 
1835, installed by the Ri-v. Dr. Strong at Newtown as 
joint-pa--tor with Domine Schoonni.iker and so eontiiiuid 
till June, 1849, when he left the Island. 

On the 7ih of Jan., 1851, the Rev. J. B. AUiger was 
instiled as Pastor of the Church at .lamaii-a, by the 
Re.v'd. Dr. Schoonmaker, late Pa'^tor. The Sermon was 
delivered by the Rev. Jacob Brodhead, D. D., tlie charge 
to the Pa-tor by Rev. K. S. Porter, and the charge to the 
people by the Rev. Thos. C. Strong. 

The old oetngon Church that was built in 1715-16, 
having been repaired from time to time was at last, from 
the increase of population, found to be too small and 
otherwise inconvenient; and on the 4th of Juiy, 1832, 
the cnrner stone of a new pnd much larger Church was 
laid with appropriate ceremonies; and it was solemnly 
dedicated to the wor.-hip of Almighty God on the 4th of 
July following. This edifice was placed somewhat in tne 
rear of the old cne and was (after having been beautiful- 
ly repaired nnd painted at an expense of 33,000) totally 
consumed bv fire communicated to it from a neighboring, 
building on ''he night of the I'Jth of Nov., 1857— oirly a. 
few hours after the workmen had comj)lt ted the repairs 

On the destruction of their place of worship the use 
of the several churches of tlie village with expressions 
of sympathy were kindly tendered to the Congregation. 
The Presbyterian was selected as causing the least in- 
convenience under all the circumstances, and here the 
congregation worshipped till the completion of their 
Con'sistory Room on Union Avenue, which was dedicated 
in June, l'858. This the congregation will use for pub- 
lic worship until the completion of a Fire-proof Brick 
Church whose corner stone (with Divine Permission) 
will this day bo laid. 



QUEENS COUNTY IN OLDEN TIMES. 



By H. Ondeednok. Jr. 



SCHOOLS. 

In these days of Union schools, High 
school:^ and Institute8, the school boy 
loses the chances of those pleasant re- 
miniscences of school boy days that 
have been ttie theme of many senti- 
mental^»4«y. The poetry, the romance 
is all gone save in a few sequestered 
noolis of our Island. 

In olden times the school-house was 
the least pretentious of all buildings. 
N > idea of ornament, or embellishment 
of any kind seemed to occur to our 
forefathers in the erection of churches 
And school-houses and yet around 
them cling pleasant and happy memo- 
ries. 

The school houses, as I have known 
them, were innocent of paint inside or 
out, nor were the walls or ceiling plas- 
tered. The old fashioned fire place had 
indeed been supplantod by a close 
Dutch stove,which strove almost in vain 
to overcome the cold which rushed in 
with the wind at every crevice in the 
.floor and wainscot. 

The wood was su})plied abandantly 
and in a loose wav, usually each parent 
in rotation carted ;r load which was ex- 
pected to bo cut up by the larger boys 
from day to day as wanted. The fire 
was made in the morning by the first 
comer from coals h*^ had borrowed 
from the nearest house,' and in the cold 
weather the schollars were huddled 
around the stove till nearly noon, when 
the¥eea> would begin to get comfort- 
able. 






T'O 



The largfer (rivh were required to 
sweep the sebool whicli was done ubout 
one a week; and onco a quarter (or not 
so often) there wa.s a grand scrub hi ng 
time, ihe larger boys brlngfing the wa- 
ter and the girls clean /the floor with 
broonas . ^*/ 

Two boys with a v/ater-paii suspend- 
ed on a stick between them usu illy 
troubled some neijj^hbors's well/or wa- 
ter once or twice a dfty. 

The marked peculi.irity of those dava 
was the resp(i(;t''and deference with 
which children v.ere acciustomed to 
treat their superiors or elders. The 
moment a rev^j^eetable man was seen s 
approachino-, on tiie road, the boys and 
gii'Is arranged themselves in distinct 
rows and made their obeisance to the 
passor by who returned the saUitation 
with an inclination of tiie head and an 
approving- smile, p^vhaps. adding some 
pleasant remark. What wholesome 
santimynt is mculated bysuch practises 
corapared witn our moderii s^pecimeus 
of juvenile manners! Too often the way- 
farer hears a rude remark, a snow-ball 
is thrown at his horses, or the boys 
"hang on behind'" as the phrase is. 

One of the by-la, ws of ^ the Academy 
at Jamaica (1^92) I'uni^ thus: "When y' 
the tutor or any gentlemen comes in or 
goes out of the .school room, every 
scholar shall rise tap with a respectful 
bow- and they shall treat all men, es- 
pecially known sujjerior^witli the great- S 
est modts y and respect." 

Why ne><d I speak of those hard -,f 
benches without backs, made of the 
solid half of a sput-oak tree, those ta- 
bles with ponderous legs and covered 
with chesnut planks over two inches 
thick, on which the scoUfarshad to tread 



to reach the shelves overhead- where 
were placed their dinner-baskets, hais 
and overcoats ? 

The boys sat separately but iisnally ^ 
recited iu one class, so far^classes were oif 
formed; for in those times classificatioa 
was an art ujilcnown; and not so miioh, 
needed as at pr<~s(^nt, for the circle of 
jiiiovv'ledge us riHuaily taught at schools 
was confined to the "8 R's, Reading, 
Biting; aud Itivh luetic."' 

But the limited range of the sciences 
was- the Reason of their being well '/ 
taught. .The old [proverb well said: 
"Beware of a man of one book." As 
school books were not various, so there 
was but little choice and thus our book 
was a text book for generations. 

The elementary book used was the 
Primer (in Latin Primamrm, meaning 7-/ ^-^ 
the 'first book'), but as that had a scan- 
ty supply of spelling lessons and led 
the learner too abrn!)tiv tVom. spelling 
to reading : and wao bosiries primarily 
intended for a book of religious teach- 
ing, the great book of the day was Dil- 
worth's spelling book, which kept its 
gi'ound till after the iJevolution when 
Noah Webstei" supplanted it. Dihvorth 
was a teacher at W'^pping, England, in '*- 
1710. He was the author of several 
school books. His arithiiietic held its 
ground longer tliau his onelling book 
and was supplanted bj DaboJi after a 
30 y8;irs' sLiug^jie. 

Our 'teachers were usually from 'the 
old country,' ivo often fond of strong 
drink and kept h]\\3 Monday. Some 
hiid th('ir bottle hid in the desk pnd 
imbibed at ple;i,nr.'. Their /'otic was 
figures au'l th(-y usually were better 
Arithmeticians than the New England 
teachers who supersiid^jd tiu;m. Arjth- 



metic v/as not i.an,i>ut lU clas^KrS, bnt 
each scho'ar plodd«'l on tdono, aud 
vyhen his slate was full ot sains, he es- 
hibited it to the madcr as he was then 
called, for approval. They wevp* then 
copied into a cyphering- bftok. Origi- 
nally the teacher jUoik; had the printed 
arithmetic, wbicli whs i'ov that reason 
called the 'Teaclior's Assistant,' as sup- 
plying him with examples and their 
solution ; but ahcc ;i while each scholar 
suDplied himsc'f with au ai'ithmetic, 
which relieved tiio t»>aoher of the lab'^r 
of settinioj the scholars' suras on iL^ ir 
slates. E:i<;)> (>f the wore advanced 
scholars had a quire ,'V so of foolscap 
paper stitched in a paste-board cover, 
called a cyphering book. In this the 
master wrote thf^ (-xamph-'s and when 
the pupil had p. ri Jriiied-the operation 
correctly on his slate, they were copied 
into the cyphering book and kept as an 
heir loom in *he family, and might be 
used by younger brothera as a Key. 

The reading books were more varied. 
After the easy lessoua of the spelling 
book had been ni.■i5•;^orcd, there came 
thePsnIter, Testamvut utn! Biule. In 
eoiiiP pcho'-is were the child's Insh-uc- 
tor, tbe Youn;f.(T3ntleiuan and Lady's 

Then o.Miie, the '■ njevican i'receptor; 
and laitprly Muvvay's I.itroduetio;i, 
English i leader and S'lHiiel. Tlie New 
Englan:! Primer was always to be found 
in The schools, but it was rather used as 
a Picture Book. The catechism would 
be learned out of it, and other moral 
lessons. 

Noah Webster formed a grammatical 
Institute of the English language in 
thrcje i>ai-ts. Speller, Header, and Gram- 



naar. The first cuiv kept its ovound. 

Tiie spoiling- cIks w.is h feature of '^ 
those (Iba's — all tho scliol.'irri were ar- 
ranged in :i long row once and some- . . y 
times twice a day for jeivn4fi in their skill ^ ^' ^^ ^ S 
in orthoepy. This practice certainly 
produced good «peilera. To be 'head 
of the class' was the highfoi a scholar's 
ambition. 

When the New England teachers 
came elocution was attemptod, and the 
Columbian Orator used as a text book. 
Feeble attempts at dressing in charac- 
ter wnre also essayed. Compositions 
also were introduced but at a later day. 

AVriting was well attended to and it 
was good, —a legible round-hand. The 
labor of making pens from quills (for 
steel pens wero unknown) was not in- 
considerable, nor had the writing books 
beiiU ruled with blue ink as at present. 
Hence the industrious teacher was at 
his desk every morning a half-hour or 
so before the formal opening of school 
to mend and make pens, rule the writ- 
ing books with a leaden plummet and 
set copies. 

School usually commenced at 8 
o'clock in summer and 9 in winter, and 
with a noon-spell of an hour, was let 
out at 4, But as only three branches 
of educatiow were taught, somehew, 
there seemed to be a good deal ' of un- 
employed time . Then the teacher from 
very listlessness would doze and nod, 
the scholars for want of better employ- 
ment read whatever was readable in 
the school books— perhaps for the , ^ / 

twentieth time. By oft a ttemptod per- ^ A-*^^^^ 
usal the very sums in the Arithmetic / 

were learnt by heart — especially the 
curious examples at the end of the 
book. 



In some scLools an intermis8ion was 
allowed, but luoie generally each scholar 
asked for permission to go out, at the 
sauie tune, turning a tablet or 'block' 
that hung by the door on the opposite 
side of which were inscribed 'IN'— 
'OUT.' 

Grammar was not taught in thnge 
times. 'Tis true tiiat at the end of Dd- 
worths and Webster's spelling books, , 
there were bei«^ treatises on Knglish l-r i e / 
grammar but written on the basis of ^ 

Latin Gramar, with few or no ex- 
amples for practise. It may trulv be 
said that the act of teaching English 
grammar, but written on the basis of 
Latin Grammar, with lew or no exam- 
ples for practise. It may truly be said 
that the art of teaching English gram- 
mar was but little understood in those 
days. For in the statutes of the Acad- 
emy at Jamaica in 1792, it is ordered 
that the text-book for English Gram- 
mar shall be Webster to be read or re- 
peated by memory. 

Navigation was' taught in the Com- 
mnn Schools, for many of the young 
men in those days went to sea, so'me as 
sailors, some as supercargoes, some 
studied medicine and established them- 
selves in the West Indies till they had 
acquired a fortune when they returned 
and settled in their native place, 
^ ^Plience navigation was a favorite study. 
Surveying also was not neglected. 

Latterly Geography was taughfafter 
a fashion almost without maps. Those 
penduous octavos of Guthrio and Sal- 
mon were text books in soine Acade- 
mies and were superseded by Morse. 
In common schools D wight s Geogra- 
phy by Question and Answer was used 
as a reading book. 



Astronomy was seldom, if ever, 
taught. Hence we need not wonclei 
that many persons almoin, to ou<. day 
had no faith in the revolution of the 
earth around the Sun, or on its own 
axis. 

Some of the books used in Academies, 
before 1800 were: Blair's Rhetorick; 
Stone's Euclid; j\Iartin's Trigonometry; 
Warden s Mathematics. 

In 1792. t "She use of Globes, Book- 
keeping, Oratory,Logic and ohronologj 
are named as subjects of study in U. H. 
Academy. We liad almost forgotton to 
speak of the school girl She too had 
her enjoyments, thougii she usually 
stcwd home in winter when the "big 
boy's" took a quarters schooling. ^The 
girls had their baby houses enclosed 
with a row of stones t>r^ may now be ye*/ 
seen along the highways, in country 
places. They made and veturned visits 
and kept house general] •. And if there 
were some pretty gentle boys, thox of- 
ten "played man and wife"), for a 'brief 
hour or so. 

In some schools the catechism was 

^d recit»*c, but this was not a previaling 

custom. The catechism was generally 

heard bythe clergyman m-- at the church 

^ orat nrivate house m some convenient 

neiohborhood. "^^^ 

Some of the New England Teachers 
were of a religious turn of mind and 
they would cause this to bo felt in 
school, and (;ould take part in a nrayer 
meetmg. If to this they could add the 
gilt of siuging and form sinonjg schools, 
their fortune wars made. They had the 
entree into respectable farmers' families 
and a favorable chance of a matrimo- 
nial aliance with theiv daughters. 



QUEENS COUNTY IN OLPEif TIMKfllo 
By H. Ondebdonk, Jb. 

THE CLERGY. 

The respect paid the clergyman was 
great. He was not perhaps so much 
in contact with the people as at present. 
The respect for rank was universal. 
The clergy wore bushy ^vigs, gown and 
bands, breeches with kuee buckles, and 
a cocked hat. They often rode on horse 
back owing to the bad roads but some- 
times they used a one horse-chaise. 
Every house then had a horse-block to 
which the horse was taught'lo side up' 
to let his rider mount. If a mantua- 
maker was wanted, »-«ixin was f ent af- 
ter her on horse back and returned 
with the lady seated behind him on a 
pillion. Some horses would not carry 
double. Our one horse-wagons began 
to be introduced a httle before 1820, 
and the saddle fell into disuse gradual- 
ly. But in the palmy days of horse 
ridiug, as soon as a boy aspired to be- 
come a young man, a new saddle and a 
handsome young creature was his first 
outfit. The young meu usually rode in 
couples, and many a neck has been bro- 
ken by their racing. 

It may be said that the people in 
those times got rich not so much by 
making money as b}' saving it It was 
a rule in one family — and that n(»t a 
poor one to make 3G5 candles last a 
year. The children went to bed when 
the chickens went to roost. So one 
pair of shoes with mendiug was calcu- 
lated to last a little girl the year round. 



Of course she went barefoot-iu warm 
wsather. e 

Every family had a lejtch-tub to maxe 
ley which was used to make soft soap. 
The boiling of soap required much at- 
tention . et. 7\ 

Dipping cradles was an operation 
that required^all the care that a pru- 
dent housewife could bestow. The t-ii- 
/^T^tMiJ" low^be melted, the candle rods furnish- 

ed with^^ wicks, the floor cleaned so that 
the drippings of the tallow may he kept 
clear of dust and dirt. Two saw ben- 



71- 



ches 8 feet apart support two transveree . 

rails OK which rest 25 or 30 candle ^ed^ '7^/>^ 



The woman begins at one end and suc- 
cessively dips the 4he wicks in the pot 
of tallow, till tbe candle acquires the 
proper degrees of thickness. 

Breach of promise suit were rare. 
The first I notice is in 1807, when Rhoda 
Seaman recovers six cents dara;igvS 
from Simoon Searing. The next case 
was in 1822, Demott vs. Smith, with a 
verdict of $2,000. 

When a person met with a caJanuty, 
such as the burning of his house or 
barn, it was necessary to get a Permit 
from the '^irovernor to solicit assist'\noe. 
In 1729 Mr. Shaw of East Hampton 
was burnt out and had such a permit. 
This printed on a broad-side might be 
read from the pulpit by the minister 
who then preached a sermon on char- 
ity. 

Churches were sometimes situated in 
the Highway, when they were built at 
the expense of the town and considered 
town property. The church^in Jamaica ^-Z 
^'^^ ia- Brooklyn, were put in the middle of 
the road, carriages passing on either 



side.* These buildings were used for 
any public business. The old Dutch 
chijrch jthat stood in Fulton street 
within a stone's throw of the C'ty Hall 
was occupied by Gen. Washington as 
his Head Quarters during the meiuor- 
able battle and retuat of Brooklyn. It 
wos in this bv ilding that the war coun- 
cil Oi General officers was held when it 
w,"s decided to evacuate Long Island 
and its dependencies. 

They were rarely painted inside On 
out: Pews were rare, but instead were 
rush-tottomed chairs for women and 
benches without backs for men. The 
services were in summer twice a day, 
with an hour's interval between, during* 
which the people walked about, con- 
versed, took a lunch, or went to a neigh- 
boring tavern and called for cake and 
beer, or something stronger. 

The sexton's ofHce was then unknown 
and not needed, for the tioor was 
sanded, there w»re no carpets nor 
cushions, nor chandeliers, nor heat- 
ing apparatus. The Deaccms unlocked 
the dooi- and with a long rod opened 
the high window shutteis from the out- 
side . The r-lerk's business besides sing- 
ing was on the occasion of a baptism, to 
write out on paper the niune of thu child 
and its parents and hand it to the min- 
ister and to provide water in a pewter 
basin. d 

* It is.related of Dominp YnnZinievan that 
while proac-hing. the r'nii.,'rvg;i'.;o!i htid their 
attention diverteu troin him by two w.nj^oua 
hastily driven one on eacli side ol^ the chureli. 
The Dominee cxelniri-ed a race ! " WI.eix-f ou 
the excitement of the congregation r: outu 
Bubsidud . i^" ^ r ^-^^ 



QUEENS OOtTNTY TN OLDEN TIME3. 
By H. Onderdonk, Jb. 

8POBT3. 

But ih» sports' of school-boy days should 
not be tori^ction- such fis ball, tag, puss in- 
the corner, pLiying horse, racing, jumping, 
hopping, 'quoits, tetering, skating and sliding 
ou tuQ ice, running down hill and snow-ball- 
iag, f.>r then we had notable snow-storms. 
The rotds were drifted full, the fences covered 
with snow-bauks curved';,iu graceful and fan- 
tistio forms by the wind. The fall of snow 
was the premonitor ot joy and jollity among 
the younger meml)ers\if the\household. All 
other business gave way. The wood sled and 
I'i p'eas-.irc sleij^h were got oat, and errands 
of all kinds were coutrivied to put them in 
rq'iiriitKiU— drawing fuel from the woods, 
grain to the mill, or goods from the store. 

The plejisure'sleigh with its jingling bells 
Wis kept. busy iu visiting friends — especially 
those at a distance.!? Of course the children 
must stay home from school to share the ride. 
To accommodate the belles and beaux the 
count '.•y^Taverns7got"^u>p'"uumerou3 dancing 
frolics 'or '(in 'modern parlance) Balls, where 
the fiddle and giddy dance and supper kept 
the over-delighted rustics oblivious of the 
passing hours so long that they seldom got 
h:)me till morning. ?; Our modoni snow-storms 
ai-e of no account. Then in the absence of 
India rubbers we had stout greased cow-hide 
boots ; or if shoes, then knit leggins were 
drawn o'l the leg coming up to the knee and 
protecting the ancles from the suow. 

The boy who has an eye to gam nses early, 
draws on his leggins and waddles through the 
8UOW to the woods ^ where he has set his box- 
ti'.ip and spring-pole for the rabbit. Some- 



times he liruls a squinel has by mistake been 
decoyed into the trap by the smell of the apple 
wh.ich was set for a b.ut, and has gnawed his 
way out of the wooden box and made good his 
OS -ape. ^When, however, ho secures a couple 
of sc^uirrels he strips off the skin whole (as 
near as he can> and turning the fur inside be 
has a pair of warm muter jjloves. 

He ulso sets quail iraps made of thin elder 
rods, or he attaches half a dozen snares of 
horse-hair to a cnrd held tense by two sticks 
■dvivsii in the ground. About these he sprink- 
les chaff with a few grains of wheat. As he 
visits th^^se before and after school he seldom 
fails to dud soma uuiacky bird straggling for 
a larger liberty. These he has been taught to 
kill by preb-,mg his thumb-nail on the brain. 

When he sets a trap for the musk-rat that 
infest our ponds, ho will line it with old iron 
hoops, so that th<; prisanev m ly gun.w the iron 
btta-s in vain. Of tiie okiu ho wiilfmake hioi a 
wiim winter cap. 

The skunk he will leave to the negro who 
dexterously kills him, eats his iiesh and ex- 
tracts from his fat a valuable domestic oint- 
ment called " skunk V grease " and highly es- 
teemed. 

One of the oldest sports in Queens County 
is horse racing. The course was at first. 1669, 
on Salisbury Plains west of the Court House. 
It was afterwards styled New ^Market course. 
There was » race course around the Beaver 
Pond, Jamaica; also on Ascot Heath, Flat- 
lands. Beside horse racing, we have what is 
called the sack race, i. e., the persons who are 
to run ,vre enclosed in a tall bag or sack which 
is tied about the neck, so that nothing but 
the head is visible. ;,As a pendant to this we 
have the greased pig and the greased pole. A 
pig is greased and let loose. He becomes the 
property of the man who can catch and hold 



u 



him by the greased tail. To clamber a pole 
that hfi6 been well sUished is uo ordinary feat. 
From this we see that after a taste for mode- 
rate pU-HSUies is gratified, then an inordinate 
appetite mast be satisfied. 

When a tavorn'keeper wants to replenish his 
pnrs3(}, buys a fine f;it pig and distributes 
a certain number of chances at a certain price. 
Whoever gue.sses nearest the weight hj,s the 
pig. On the day of the guessing, a croisf d of 
ftie lower sort of people assemble, view the 
pig, discuss his probable weight, take a drink, 
get lively, drink again and again. The tavern 
keeper is in no hurry to kill his pig as long as 
the drinking and guessing are going on ; but 
when the crowd are talked ont and begin to 
get impatient, the pig is 'slaughtered in pre- 
sence of the crowd, weighed and handed over 
to the lucky guesser, who, perhaps, not know- 
ing what to do with " the elephant," sells him 
at a low figure to the tavern-keeper. He then 
treats all around and the crowd gradually fall 
off and retire homeward. So we have shoot- 
ing or raffling for turkey.s, at the Holidays. 
A colt or other fine animal is often disposed 
of by rafiling. 

Fishing, is not only a sport on L. I., but a 
means of support to great numbers'of poor 
people who "follow the bay," as it is termed. 
Many of these are gunners and shoot wild fowl 
as well as catch crabs. ;^; The eels are caught 
with bait in an eel-pot, or in winter are spear- 
ed [as they lie in the mud] through a hole cut 
in the ice. Oa the south shore skippers, a 
coarse clam, are caught, taken from their shells 
and barrelled up for baitjaud sold to the New 
Eagland cod-fisheries. On the north side of 
the Inland the oyster business has greatly in- 
creased, and most of the bottoms of the bays 
are now occupied by beds where young oysters 



grow for the New York market. In the deep 
waters and rocks lobsters are trapped and 
black-tish are caught with hook7>ud hne in 
abimdauce. | What with the hard clams, the 
soft clams, 'ruuscles and scollops it is hardly 
possible toijcalculate the volue of ?the Long 
Island fisheries. Nor" should/we forget the 
horse foot so r.i"ch used in fattening chickens 
and pigs. Who has'not^heard of grouse' and 
snipe shooting ? 

On the Plains we once had plover grounds, 
but these p©li»g days of the amateur sports- 
y man are now rapidlj passing away. '"The for- 

ests are being cut down and the ruthless herd 
of boys who fire at anything from a chipping 
bird to a barn-d&or fowl .has"' frightened away 
most of the lawful game. 

In Suflolk County we yet have deer. Deer 
hunts were once a great affair. Men divided 
into companies and intrsued^the deer accord- 
ing to a system. T' One party] went in the 
thicket to drive o^^'.t the animal, v/hile another 
stood in the road or clearing to^shoot^ him, t.3 
soon as he made bis appearance. We often 
read of accidents happening from careleasnes*. 
Men being shot instead of the deer. 

The shad fishery shou'd not be forgotten — 
especially tis the Narrows was famous for its 
shad and the name of Cortelyou is memorable 
for making immense hauls. 

Whales have been struck .on Eockaway 
Beach, on Long Island and have passed by 
Brooklyn up the Hudson River. 

For years long past fislji ha76 be^n caught ia 
nets and used for manure, cspeoially isi Suf- 
folk County. 




The above cut is a representation of tbe stone meeting house erected by the town of 
famaica, as a common place of worship for its inhabitants in 1699. It stood in the 
niddle of the main street at the head of Union Plall street, then and long after callec 
' Meetinghouse lane." The building was taken down in 1813, when the present Pres^ 
9yteiian Church was erected.* 



At the first settlement of the town, there were some Independents, but in the course 
of time the Presbyterian Church prevailed. Church business was transacted at town 
meetings. Humphrey Underbill and William Creed are the only ones mentioned (iu 
1674), as not in accord with their fellow-townsmen in church matters. 

At a meeting: held Jan. Ibt, 1694, in order to the building of a meeting house for 
the town of Jamaica, John Oakey, iSamuel Deane, Samuel Denton, Capt. Carpenter and 
John Smith were chosen a Committee to divide the town into five squadrons, and to 
see timber, stones and lime all gotten, as shall be necessary for said work. But it waa 
soon found that there was some unwillingness to be taxed for it by the Dutch popula- 
tion, and those at the west of Jamaica; and especially by William Creed, Robert Read, 
Esq., John Oakey, Daniel Whitehead, Nicholas Everett, Joseph Smith, Jonas Wood, 
Hendrick Lott, Elderd Lucas, Frederick Hendricksou and Theodorus Polhsmus. The 
matter was left to arbitrators who decided against the objectors, and they had to pay 
their rates, But the building of the church was delayed; and Sep. 13, 1698, a new 
Committee was chosen, consisting of Capt. Carpenter, Capt. Woojsey, Jonas Wood, 
Benjamin Thurston, Capt. Whitehead, Joseph Smith, John Smith, Edward Burroughs 
and John Hansen, to carry on the work cf building a church and see it truly carried 
out and ended. 

When Lord Cornbury became Governor of New York, he claimed the meeting house 
as the property of the Church of England, and encouraged the Rev. Mr. .John Bartow 
to strive with Rev. Mr. John Hubbard, the Presbyterian incumbent, for the occupancy 
of the building Hence occui-red a scene which we will allow Mr. Bartow to describe 
in his own graphic style : 

" I once met with great disturbance at Jamaica. Mr. Hubbard, their Presbyterian 
minister, having been for some time in Boston on a visit, returned to Jamaica, the same 
Satuiday night as I came to ir, and sent to me at n:y lodging (I being then in com- 
pany with our Chief Justice, Mr. Mompesson, and Mr. Carter, Her Majesty's Comp- 
ti-oUer), to know if I intended to preach on the morrow. I seat him anssver I did intend 
it. The next morning (.luly 28, 170.3), the bell rang as asual, but before the last time 
linging Mr. Hubbard was got into the church and had begun his service, of which no- 
tice was given me, whereupon I went into the church and walked straightway to the 
pulpit expecting Mr. Hubbard would desist, since he knew I had orders from the Gov- 
ernor to officiate there ; but he persisted, and I forbore to make any interruption. Iu 
the afternoon I prevented him by beginning the service of the Church of England be- 
fore he came. He was so surprised when he got to the church door and saw me per- 
forming divine service, that he suddenly started back and went aside to an orchard 
hard by, and sent in some persons to give the word that he would preach under a tree. 
Then I perceived a whispering through the church, and an uneasiness of many people, 
some going out, some seemed amazed, and not yet determined to go or stay. In the 
meantime some that had gone out returned again for their seats; and then we had a 
shameful disturbance, hauling and tugging of seats, shoving one another off, carrying 
benches out, and returning for more, so that I was fain to leave off till the disturbance 
was over, and a separation made; by which time I had lost about half the congregation, 
the rest remaining devout and attentive the whole time of service. After which we 
locked the church door and committed the key into the hands of the Sheriff. We were 
no sooner got into an a.djoining house but some persons came to demand the key of 
their meeting house; which, being refused, they went and broke the glass windows, and 
put a boy inlo open the door, and so they put in their seats, and took away the pulpit 
cushion, saying they would keep that for their own minister. The scolding and wrang- 
ling that ensued are by me ineffable." 



The next time I saw my Lord Cornbaiy, he tb'inke^l me for-whst Ihad done, and said 
he would do the Church and me justice. Accordingly he summoned ilr. Hubbard and 
the heads of the faction before him, and forbade him ever more to preach in thechnrch, 
for as it was built by a public tai it did appertain to the established church. He 
also threatened them all with ihe penalty of the statute for disturbing divine service, 
but upon their submission atd promis*} of future quietness and peace, he pardoned the 
offence." 

The Presbyterians made other violent attempts to regain possession of the chnrch 
but failed, and were fined and punished. They worshipped for nearly 25 years in a 
building erected at the east eni of the villa^je, and alsD ia the County Hall. At last 
they commenced a suit at law, and were successful. Tais was one of tne most imrort- 
ant law suits that ever was prosecuted on L. I., and aroused all the bad feelings of tlie 
litigants. 

In the absence of a faU report, we «rive the minutes of the trial as we nnd them 
noted in the private Eecord book cf the Judge before vrhom the case was tried. They 
are dry and techaicil, but they are all we have to give : 

"Supreme Court held at Jamaica, Dec. 23, 172S, Lewis Morris Esq^. Chief Justice. 
Stephen Theobalds on the demise of Carpenter and others ts. Thomas Poyer, Bee tor 
of the Parish of Jamaica. 

Kvn>s:$c£ vos px>u2rnrT. 
Nehemiah Smitn eworn. 

Coi. D injan's f .t u; -:o ihe inhabitants of Jamaica, read 
Z .c^■iriib Mi'.'.s s«f.rn. 

To«ra voce of Jim i:c» la IT 6. to vest thesrooni on which the chuefa staads, in certaia petSQM^ nai. 
John Foster and S^mcel Smitii sworn 

KVXOSX05 FOB DSIXKDi.VrS. 

Copr of town vate read- 

Co--- •" ^^ - town meeting read 

Be _ - vom. 

Dr : _ 1 .in confesses le^se entry »nd caster. 

A Vv.s L. ..-.-- ,. -crin^ pcrsors to carry on the l)a!lJ:n£ of a raeeling hoaaj or charch. 

An Ac; •>: Av<^rn i.r for las; e-rectia^ * pnLlic edifice m 15W, revl. 

Jonatbaa \S'h;:eiii-il sworn. 

A nfceipk fro.-n the Trasiees u> Jonathan Wh:tel»?ad as collector, for money jitbered by him ia IIM. 

aimue" S nitb sworn. 

An Ac; for seuiin; a min'-stry in several towr-s m the Pr<->v=nce, read 

.\ ooy of a recont of a iriai b-tween Taomas Poyer and Georw Mc^ish. in the Sspreae Coort, VM 
prolace«i a-* evi=ieace, and allowed. 

A pi'.en; froai G >r. X c >!ls lo the inb-\bttants of Jamvc-v read- 

A rele-ise from Wm. Hallett. ih^; earviTiag patentee, to Tiiis. Poyer. for the church or taSding in dis- 
pa e, read. 

Cnarles Doughty took his aSrma-ion. 

KVtnSNCS FJS PLaXSTIFP BSSrJCID. 

Wi'Jiini Cjrpenter and Thomas 6!n:ta sworn. 

Tnotai* Gale ;.>o& hi* sffirrnati 30. 

De- > R- -^n .ff. Joan P;?"i'. and Andrew C'lrk sworn. 

A - . B ckler, iu an inferior Coar; tield at Jamaica, read. 

r ■ - id sw,>ra- 

T;. -c . ,^.; ; -he ;own in 1595, re^d. 

Two orders of ibe towz :a 1^7, read. 

N:cb-.!i* Be;r:a'. s^rorc. 

The j Try find for p^iin'.iff 6 pence dsmare-? and 7 pesce cos:s. 

Tt»f jrwai retamed, Xoveiaber Term. IT?-. 

Mr. Foyer's counsel complamed of the partiality of the Jnd»e, for lie designed t-> put 
the matter on some points of law which were in his favor, and in the time of trial offere^i 
to demur in law, but was diverted therefrom by the Ju \^ who t>li him that h*^ would 
recommend it to the jury to find a special verdict, aad if they did not he wouH then 
alio* a new trial. This he afterwards refused to do, saying a bad promise w^as better 
bmke than kept. 

*Xi»TK, — For tne above drawins we are indebted to the ftnt'qiariaa taste of Jai^a Davtd Lani*->er?on. 
He nad carvfn-!v d-*wTi it wi;h a lead pencil. He also prv-e^T<ri tbe vane ■ * cov^^er rooster', wiih ttt 
tt^nres 1S?9 ;ns-:-:bed .'- -: 



THB OLD STONR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN JAMAICA. 

[COXTIKUED TBOM STANDARD 0» MAT 18.1 

Ai t«r the Presby- 
t«rians recorered 
their church by 
proc«BB of law 
(17S8).theyhadun- 
diaturbed p08se«- 
sioD till the Revola- 
tioD. when it was 
used for a very short 
time by the British 
»8 a, place of deten> 
tion for Whig pris- 
oners. 

Soon after the 
British army came 
into Jamaica(1776), 
a parcel of frolisk- 
8ome young Loyal* 
ists perched them> 
aelres in the belfry 
and commenced 
sawing off the stee- 
ple. Word was 
broocfht to the pas- 
*or, Mr. Burnet. 
Whitehead Hicks, 
Mayor of New York, 
happened to be etay- 
iag at the pareon- 
iige which stood in 
the rear of Mr. Lew- 
is* hardware store, 
in Beaver street, 
and he soon put a 
stop to the intended 
outrage. 

Mr. Burnet had 
married Miss Ann 
Combs, of Jamaica, 
a n Episcopalian, 
and was the only 
Fresbyterian minis- 
ter hereabouts that 
favored the British 
cause. He was.there • 
fore, allowed to con- 

[Republiahed bp Request.] 
tinue public services in the church during the war. Though he saved the churck 
f i-om destruction, yet after the peace the exasperated Whigs made it uncomfortable tot 
him and he had to leave. 




The Hiirhlaadera attended his services, and sat in the galleiy. Some had their wijej 
with them, and several of their children were baptized. Once when the seiton had 
forgotten to provide water for baptism, the thoughtful mother puUed a bottle from her 
pocket and poured the water in the basin. xv, t j v, i^ *i. •- 

After the war, and while there was no County Court house, the Judges held their 
Courts in the old church. Two robbers were here sentenced to death and hanged »t 

Beaver Pond. , . , . _ji 

The edifice was of stone 40 feet square, and had three doors, and aisles to correspond. 
The pulpit, surmounted by its sounding-board, stood on the north wde facing the gal- 
lory l<or a ti .e Mr. Bernardus Hendrickson. aged and thick of hearing, sat in tha 
puloit beside the minister, and wore a woolen cap. The minister had gown and bands. 
There was no stove. The women (some at least) arrayed in scarlet cloaks, sat on chairs 
along the wide aisle, and had foot-stoves. The floor was sanded. There was little work 
for the sexton. Jos. Tuttle, to keep the house io order. So he was content (1791) to 
take up with a yearly salary of ^61 for taking care of the church, and .£1 for ringing the 
bell. The minister's salary was S300, and parsonage with some accidental advantages 
as marriage fees, spinning parties and special gifts when he had had sickness in his 
family, oi other misfortunes. _ v v 

There were two services on the Lird's day with an hour's intermission, when the 
people eat what they had brought trom home, or went into Capt. Joseph Eoe's bakerj 
(where widow Waters now lives), and regaled themselves on ginger bread and spruce 
beer. Those that wished something stronger could get it at Wm. Betts' inn, since 
B. Creed's inn, over the way. 

Thomas Bailej, Jos. Tuttle and Chas. S. Lord successively led the singing. Mr. Lord 
stood in the galfery, the others in front of the pulpit. 

In course of time the edifice though often cleaned, repaired, shingled and painted 
was not thought sufficiently convenient. The old gkbe was sold and used as a Female 
Academy. Richard Creed's house and land was bought (the present parsonage )» and 
May 24, 1813, the workmen began to take down the old stone church against whose 
walls the Academy boys had played ball for years. 

After the rubbish had been removed the ground under the church (especially be- 
neath the communion table in front of the pulpit) was carefully dug over, and the re- 
mains of those who had been buried there gathered up and placed in a box «nd con- 
veyed in procession h«ade I by the sexton, Jeffery Smith, to the village burying place 
and again committed to the earth. So says the late Chas. B. Shaw, who was present. 
Among these relics must have been Rev. Patrick Gordon, Rev. Wm. Urquhart, and 
two wives of Rev. Thomas Poyer. 

The new church was dedicated Jan. 18, 1814. The preacher wae Rev. Dr. Milledo- 
ler, of N. Y. Rufus King was captivated with the discourse and asked Rev. Mr. Sayres, 
as they were coming out of church, the name of the eloquent divine. "Strange/* 
says he, " that I never heard of him before." 

The annexed drawing does not show the building in its original beauty. It had a 

S'aceful tapering spire which rose 102 feet from the ground, and could be seen from 
r. In the course of time some persons thought it had been strained by the September 
£Ae of 1821, and that it was racking the frame work of the building, and in spite of 
e protests of sCtew objectors, 27 feet of this symmetrical spire was sawn eff and ig- 
nominiously pulled ' own by ropes. Jt fell with a crash and was brokea in a thousand 
piece8,wbich were gathered in piles and sold for fuel to the highest bidder. rhuS was 
this well proportioned edifice that was peerless among the churches on Long Island 
ihome of its principal ornament. 

For the wood cats that have illustrated this skstch, we are Indebted to the obliging coattesr of Mr, 
L M. Jngstir. 

•Nom —The Preebyterlan Church has been fertile la sach or »lmi!aror£:anIj!ation«, ••the Cent SocietT; 
Society Cor cunversiou o( the Jews, Bible Socletr, Union Benevolent, Foreign and Domestic Mi«8iunf, 
and iiiaoy others now passed away and forgotten. 



The people had gotten 
•lack and careless, un- 
der the failiag strength 
•f the good Mr. Fait- 
onte, and few could praj 
ia 'public. Mr. Weed, 
fresh from Princeton 
8emiaarj, was called in 
1815. He quickly in- 
fused a new energy in 
the religious life of his 
people. He started 
week daj leetures.pray er 
■leetinifs, formed a Bible 
class and (though for a 
loni^ time before there 
had been yearly contri- 
butions to the Educa- 
tion Society) he prompt- 
ed the ladies to organ- 
ize other societies for 
rehsiousp irposes.* The 
ladies made a beautiful 
heavy cloth cloak which 
they presented to him 
in form. After recov 
«ring from his surprise 
he thanked them for 
their care of his bodily 
comfort, and then with 
an arch smile, he added 
(as if the cloak were a 
dortceur), " ladies, how 
can I hereafter, in 
preaching, call you sin- 
ners.* ' 

Mr. Weed was of ac- 
knowledged ability, a 
preacher of the old 
school of sterner stuff 

than ministers now are. 

There was no mistakinsr his notions of a future state especially ot the wicKed. Smith 
Hicks who, from a tailor, had become an irreverent publican, used to say he "nerer 

j knew a preacher who could t:tke up a sinner in both hands, hold him out at arms 

* length, and so shake him over hell fire as Mr. Weed could." 

Hitherto there had been no stove in the church. One Lord's day Mr. Weed broached 

' the subject, and said he could stand the cold and keep warm by preaching, but he feared 
his people would be too uncomfortable to sit and listen patiently to his discourses. So 
the stoves amid opposition were set up. 

Mr. Weed found the hour's intermission too short to rest himself in, and the services 
were held later in the afternoon. The church had then no lamps for night service, nor 
sheds for the horses. He let the people know he sought not "theirs but them," and 
when some one hinted he should be content with less salary, he quietly left. 

Mr. Weed discouraged the practice, then prevalent in the beat families, of giving 
wine at funerals. In this he was seconded by Kev. Mr. Sayres. Time out of mind 
in humbler families rum was handed from one to another as they stood out of doors 
•bout the house, each man drinking directly out of the mouth of the up-turned flask; 
wine was passed around to the women within the house. Gapt. Codwise, who lived at 
Beaver Pond, had a cask of the choicest wine stored away in his cellar for years re- 
served for his funeral. The last most distinguished occjision in Jamaica was at the 
funeral of Rufus King, our Minister to England, who died April 29, 1827, at the age 
of 73. It was a warm day, and the waiters were kept going about, in doors and out, with 
silver salvers before thom loaded with decanters, glasses and segars. 

Mr. Weed and Mr. Sayres were (1818) chosen Inspectors of Common Schools for Ja- 
maica. They did their duty so strictly and exposed so many shortcomings in the toach- 
Qr» that they were not re-elected. 




Antiquities of Grace Church, No. 4. 
Thomas Poyeb, Rector of the Parish of 

Jamaica, 1710 to 1732. 
■was bom in Wales, (a grandson of Col, 
Poyer who fell in defence of Pembroke Cas- 
tle in Cromwell's time, ) and a student of 
Brazen Nose College, Oxford. On Sunday, 
June 9, 1706, he was ordained deacon by Wm. 
Lloyd, bishop of Worcester, in the parish 
church of Hartlebury, to serve in the church 
at Burton in Pembrokshire. On Sunday, 
Sept. 21,1707, he was ordained priest by Geo. j 
Bull, bishop of St. Davids, in the chapel of 
the Virgin Mary in Brecknock. Feb. 21, 1709 
he was chaplain ot the Antelope at Port Ma- 
hon where he had occasion to borrovir £7 ; 
and Sep. 27, he entered the service of the So- 
ciety for propagating the Gospel in Foreign 
parts. Dec. 16, he was appointed to perform 
at £50 per year all the offices of his sacred 
function at Jamaica on L. I. ; and on Dec. 
23d, Henry bishop of London signed his 
license and a certiftcate of his subscription 
of conformity ; and on the 30th he embark- 
ed ; but the fleet was detained till Ap. 10th. 
He was tossed about from one expensive 
harbor to another and his wife was twice 
visited with fits of sickness on board, and 
he was obliged twice to bring her ashore for 
the help of a doctor (not a little trouble and 
charge) and was forced to pay £20 for pas- 
Srage, and twice laying in of sea-stores. He 
had an uneasy passage of nearly 13 weeks 
—great tempests, so that he expected to be 
swallowed up by the merciless waves— and 
on July 7th the ship and part of her lading 
was cast away and lost on the shores of L. I. 
100 miles from his parish. On the week 
following h© set out for Jamaica where to 
his surprise he found that his predecessor's 
widow had not dealt kindly by him ; for on 
the day that he was expected in town she 
delivered up the parsonage-house to the 
Dissenters. After his induction into the 
church (July 18, 1710) by llev. John Sharpe 
cliaplain of Her Majesty's forces in N. Y., 
Mr. Poyer made complaint to a Justice of 
the peace who repaired to the parsonage 
but could get no aduuttance, whereupon he 
made a second record of forci^able detainer 
on his own view, and issued a warrant to the 
sheriff to apprehend the offenders, but he 
being a strong Independent refused, ko the 
(.ft'enders escaped punishment and Mr. Poyer 



J-WHS kept out of the glebe. It afterwards 
appeared that widow Urquhart connived at 
their entry as she was readmitted as a ten- 
ant to them, with Benj. Woolsey an Inde- 
pendent student and jvpprobationer wlio had 
married Mary Burroughs the widow's daugh- 
ter by a fornuu- husband. Mr. Poyer again 
in 1712 served the occupant, Eev. Geo. Mc- 
Nish, with a lease of ejectment for contin- 

, uing his claim. His people on account of 
his tedious voyage and shipwreck made him 

I a private contribution of about £18. 

Mr. Poyer at his lii'st setting out fell 
into the hands of Mr. Samuel Clowes a prac- 
tising lawyer and storekeeper, being led by 
his great zeal for the church, and lodged in 

I his house ; but soon changed his lodgings 
as few of his communion desired to visit 
him there. He seems afterwards to have 
lived in a hired house many years ; for in 
1722 he leased for 2 years more at £15 a 

i year the place of widow Elizabeth Waters 
which he then occupied on the west side of 
the road to Flushing. 

Soon after induction Mr. Poyer set about 
his work. He distributed the books given 
him for that purpose by the Ven. Society, 
took down the names of the recipients so as 
to look after them and gave private advice 
as he went from house to house and taught 
the fundamentals of religion. 

In Jamaica the Dutch had a quarrel 
among themselves about their minister. 
Other Dissenters had not got over their 
vexation at being forced to a tax toward 
building the public or town meeting-house 
in 1699, and showed their dissatisfaction 
with their brethren by appearing in the in- 
terest of the Church of Eiigland, thinking 
no way so effectual as that, to spite their 
former adver.-$aries. These with a few pro- 
fessed churchmen formed . the nucleus of 
the church in .Jamaica. In 1702 over 50 
(disaffected) persons signed a petition to 
Lord Cornbury to have constant Lecture^: 
among them for the advancement of true 
religion and the best of churches (the 
Church of England) and the reeonoiling of 
th«ir unhappy differences. 

Mr. Poyer preached in turn at Jamaica 

once a fortnight, Flushing and Newtown I 

once a month. In 171-1 he reports that tho 

church increases beyond oxpeoLation. he I 

! has gained over some Independents, the | 



communicants hare risen from 30 up to 60, 
and among the Quakers in Flushing (where 
Urquhart did not think it worth while to go) 
he seldom has so few as 50 and often more 
than 100 hearers. 

The minister's rate U'om the pa.rish was 
£60 this country money per year, equal to 
£39 sterling. The Vestry being chosen by 
the freeholders was a civil rather than re- 
Ugious body and were usually Dissenters, 
who refused to pay Mr. Poyer except as he 
sued and recovered from time to time. In 
1710, Oct. 27, by Mr. Clowes he sued for a 
quarter's salary, but was cast with costs of 
suit. In 1714 he had not yet received a 
penny. The Vestry met to lay the Poor and 
Minister's tax and would not admit him 
among them. As Judge and Jury (he feared) 
were not favorable to the church, ho thought 
suits not advisable, and wrote for directions 
to the Ven. Society who (1715) ordered him 
to proceed in a suit at law for his salary, at 
their charge, and made him a present of £30 
so that he might bear up under his difficul- 
ties. In 1716 he sued and recovered £16.11 
from the church wardens. In 1719 the Jus. 
tices fined and turned out John Everett and 
Thos. Hazard the church wardens, for 
refusing to pay the money in their hands 
to Mr. Poyer, and put Sam. Clowes and 
Thos. Willett in their room. In 171^ he 
got a verdict in the Supreme Court before 
Judge Lewis Morris against the Eev. Mr. 
McNlsh for part of his salary : and he ex- 
pected no further trouble about the rest of 
it, but the church wardens being obstinate 
Independents put him to as much or more 
trouble in suing (1721) for the £45 in their 

hands. 

Pabish. 
In 1717 Mr. Poyer complains of his large 
parish. It is 15 miles long and 6 | broad 
and has 409 families in it; but not above 80 
cpme to church ; he has 400 hearers and 60 
communicants, has worn out 2 gowns and 
cassocks, and the third very bare ; and his 
family wants are such that he don't know 
how he shall get another. (The Ven. Society 
eent him a gown and cassock and £10 in 
goods or money as he chose.) He says a 
missionary should be hospitable which re- 
moves ih© prejudice of some, and brings 
others over to the church. Ho has strained 
himself in traveling thro' the parish even be- 
yond his strength and to the prejudice of his 



health for almost 7 years, and not received 
a farthing salary allowe'd by law. At divers 
times he has had gifts not amounting to 
£20. It is a dear place to live and things 
are costly. He lives below the character of 
ft Missionai-y and yet runs in debt. 
Services, 

"I give frequent lectures on week-days, 
many live 12 miles distant, and I must keep 
two horses which is expensive and trouble- 
some, and this wears out more clothes in 
one year than would last 3 or 4, if I did not 
have to ride. In Newtown and Flushing 
there is no convenience of private housosi, 
so 1 have to use public inns at very great 
chp,rge, for I usually bring some of my 
family with me. I have service (1724) every 
Lord's day and on the days set apart by the 
church. I have communion 4 or 5 times a 
year or oftener, as I have health, and seldom 
have over 40 communicants at a time. I 
catechise all such as are sent to me twice 
a week in the church, and once a fortnight 
the year round at my house." 
Ill treatmext. 

At first he had to put up with abuses and 
affronts from his opponents. He says (1718) 
"they try to tire me out with their ill usage. 
I am denied victuals for my money. The 
miller wouldn't grind my corn, but sent it 
home and said I might eat it whole as hogs 
do. They say if the constables offer to col- 
lect my salary they will scald 'em, stone 
'em and go to club-law with them, &c. 

This threat was soon carried out ; for on 
Dec. 5, 1718 as the constable Ki. Combs, 
went to Daniei Bull's and demanded the 
rate, he took up an axe and swinging it over 
Combs' head, said he would split his head 
if he touched anything there. The con- 
stable commanded Jacamiah Denton in the 
King's name to assist him, but he laughed, 
said he was no constable and wouldn't obey 
him. He then went up and down the town 
and mustered 16 or 17 pi'ople with Ju-^ticcs 
Clement & Whitehead and on coming before 
Bull's door saw him with Wm. Carman, Sam- 
uel and Henry Ludhmi, Robert aad Hezcki- 
ah Denton and Ephriam Smitli standing 
there with great clubs in thi^ir hands and 
stript to their waistcoats. On the constable 
saying he had come to distrain they lifted up 
their clubs and bid him come if he durst, and 
gave him scurrilous language. On seeing 
that Bull had between 20 and 30 person* in 



his company the constable walked off, and 
made no distress. The Eev. Geo. McNish 
bid the people not mind the constable and 
even invited them into his house to drink 
cider. These rioters were subsequently let 
off with a small fine on promise of future 
peaceable behaviour. Samuel Clowes acted 
in the absence of the King's attorney. 
Eye. 
Mr. Poyer had often served the church at 
Bye, in 1719-20, and it is no wonder he de- 
sired an appointment there, tho' Jamaica, 
he says, "is a much pleasantor place where 
I have abundantly better conversation than 
can be had at Rye." He also had invita- 
tions to the West Indies and between £400 
and £500 per annum offered him. 
Suit for pabsonage. 
In 1724 Oct. 29 Mr. Poyer brought suit 
against th@ tenants of the parsonage lands, 
homestead and outlands, in which he was 
cast. 

We give the minutes of the trial from the 
Judge'.? book. 

At a court by Nisi Prius held at Jamaica, 
■present Lewis Morris, Esq., Chief Justice. 
John Chambers vs Joseph Hegeman, Jr. 
The same vs Eobert Donton. 
Defendants confess lease, entry and ous- 
ter. 

Evidince for plaintiff. 

Thomas Welling, John Dean, Nehemiah 
Smith sworn. 

A vote of town meeting, in 1676 for par- 
sonage lands. 

Eichard Combs. 

Warrant from Lord Cornbury to Ealph 
Cardale to survey church lands. 

Act of Assembly to settle a ministry in 
Queens Co. (1693) 

An act of Assembly to explain the former 
Act, (1705.) 

John Chambers sworn, and Thos. White- 
head. 

An exemplification of the special verdict, 

read. 

Evidence for defence. 

Agreement of the town of Jamaica with 
Eev. John Pruddeii, r^ad. 

Votes of tho town for Eev. John Hubbard 
and Geo. McNish to be ministers, read. 

Joseph Smith and Elizabeth Stillwell 
Bworn. 

Mr. Prudden's exchange of land with the 
town, (Sept. 29, 1693) read. 



Jury And for defendant. Murry for plain- 
tiff and Janiieson for defendant. 
The postea returned up Nov, term, 1724. 



Antiquities of Grace Church, No. 8. 

Thomas Potee, Rector of the Parish of 

Jamaica, 1710 to 1732, 

Testimonial. 

In 1716, Feb. 6th, while Mr. Poyer was in 
the midst of his troubles a letter was sent 
in his behalf to the Ven. Society testifying 
to his services and hardships, and commend- 
ing him to their favorable notice, signed by 
his parishioners: Joel Burroughs, John Clem- 
ent, Oer. Garronge, Jos. &Wm. Hallett, Jas. 
Hazard, Thos. Howell, tailor, Jona. Mor- 
rell, Fr.NicoUs innkeeper, Ri. Power, Thos. 
Eattoon, Thos. Smith, Wm. Stroud, Thos. 
Wiggins, Jona. Whitehead, Thos. Willett, 
sr., and jr., Thos. Woolsey. 

Communicants, 1725-7. 
Justice Belts and wife. , brother and sister to 
Madam Clarke ; Andrew; Mr. Clowes. 

Clarke and wilte. ;Sam. Smith and wife. 

Justice Clement & wife. ;Mrs. Arthur Smith. 
Mr. Clowes and wife,; Mrs. Katrlna Stilwell, 

son Samuel ; Gerard-; innkeeper. 

us; Mrs. Clowes and; Mrs. IStroud. 

son John. ; Mr. Taylor. 

Mr. Comes. IMrs. Wm. Thorne. 

Daniel Denton and wife. ;Foster Waters and wife. 
John Hutchins. ;Mr. Wiggins and daugh- 

Christojiher Kernan. ; ter Bedford ; Mrs. Isa- 
Capt. Luff. ; bel Wiggins ; Thos. 

Judith the uegress. ; Wiggins and wife ; 
D. Mills. ; Catharine Wiggins. 

Mr. Power. ;Mrs. Williamson and 

Mrs. Poyer. | daughter Mary, and 

Mr. Reynolds. | her two daughtej-s. 

Mrs. Sawyer. ;Col. Thos. Willett ; Ed- 

Mr. Smith and wife,' ward \Yillutt and wife. 

At the Communion (1737) the wine cost 
3s, the bread 4^ pence. The offering monej' | 
varied at times from 14s. 2. to 32s. 9. In 
1725 the wages of Phillip LeGross, Capt. \ 
Luff 's servant, the bell-ringer, was 406. a ■ 
year. To a poor man traveling to New Eng- 
land Is. 6 was given, and 6d. to a poor man 
that was frozen. To Mrs. Stroud in 1722, | 
5s. was given, and in 1723, 4s. Of the sac- '• 
rament money on Whitsunday (1722) 6s. 10 
in provisions was given to widow Bull. I 

Library. 

Mr. Poyer speaks of having a Parochial j 
Library. He takes great care of the books 
and lends them out. Many of his own | 
books the borrowers were slow in return- 
ing. Ho lent John Cross a book 1731, to 
Mrs. Williamson a pious hook, to Sam. Smith 



at Little Plains "Dr. Littis on prayer." 
The prayer books furnished by the Ven. 
Society he gave freely. 

Servants. 

Mr. Poyer always kept servants, and 
taught them the Catechism. In 1718, Nich- 
olas Tedry a Palatine was bound to him ; a 
poor wiilow Angel Sprect (1717) was inden- 
tured to him for a term of years, probably 
to pay the Captain for her passage from Eng- 
land. In 1715 he had his negro slaves 
Sarah, PhiUis and Henry baptized. In 
1716 he bought a negro Simon for £41, and 
in 1718 he had Judith, daughter of this 
Simon and Sarah baptized. Most church- 
men in those days thought it their duty to 
have their slaves initiated in the christian 
church. 

Schools. 

Mr. Poyer says (1724:) there were schools 
in each town of his Parish, but kept by 
Presbyterian or Quaker masters. In 1726, 
at a Town ^Meeting it was voted by a major- 
ity that Mr. Poyer, Mr. Eobert Cross the 
Presbyterian minister, Justices Betts, Mes- 
senger and Smith should see what the peo. 
pie are willing to subscribe toward the en- 
couragement of a "Free School'' m Jamaica. 
Probably nothing came of this. Mr. Poyer 
sent his oldest son Daniel, July, 1731, to 
Thomas Temple, and in Oct. he was kept 
home from Mr. Rock's school on account of 

small pox. 

AYivES, 
Mr. Poyer was thrice married. His first 
wife Frances he brought with him over sea. 
She was buried Ap. 15, 1719, in the old 
stone church, and May 10, p. M., he preach- 
ed her funeral sermon wherein he commem- 
orates her virtues. He says : "She endured 
with so much christian patience her paii^s 
and sickness which rendered the latter part 
of her life nothing else but a long contin- 
ued death," In Sep. 1720, he visited Bos- 
ton whence he brought back, as is said, a 
2d wife, a widow Foxcroft. His 3rd wife 
was Sarah, daughter of Justice Jos. Qldfield, 
gent, a wealthy farmer of Jamaica. Her 
sister Mary mar'd. Robert Cross, a Pr-es,by- 
teyian minister. 

CmLBKEN. 

Mr. Poyer's eldest son Daniel returned to 
the old country, as is said, on the death of 
his father. By his last wife he had 4 child-, 
ren, viz : Joseph Oldfield born 1725, and 



died 1730* ; Thomas, born 1726, was a conl- | 

wainer, mar'd. 1758, Margaret Hicks of j 

Eockaway (he was ov(;rseer of hifjjhways ' 

in 1700), and afterwards removed to Fish- j 

kill; John, born 1728, mar'd. Mary lihodes | 

of Jamaica and went to Jersey ; Sarah, bora ' 

1731, mar'd. 1760, Aaron Van Nostran^ sex- '■ 

ton of the chnroh, who left a list of his in■^ | 

terments in the church \'ard from 1773 to i 

I 
1820, To his daughter Caty we are indt^bt- j 

ed for the pious care of her grandfather's 

numerous papers, which have enabled us to 

trace this outline of his services in the 

ptirish of Jamaica. Unhappily these papers j 

left in custody of Parson Johnson seen-^ to j 

be irretrievably lost. His portrait is in i 

Brooklyn. | 

Note. — *In tliose dayn it waR customary to : 
hand .-troiind wiiif and other liquors at funerals. ! 
On this occasion Mr. Foyer paid 17s. G lor live I 
gallons of rum. 

Farm, 

Mr. Poyer must have inliprited land' or 
some other property at the death of his ' 
wife's father in 1726. He had lived in a ' 
hired house most of his life but lattorly he , 
had a farm of 53 acres west of Beavor Pond, 
(since the Cod wise property) of which (in I 
1730) he sold 16 acres to Benj. Woolsey. It 
was bounded south and west by Wii^. Old- 
field's land, north and east by highways. 
In 1715 he bought a 10 acre lot of Sam. Den- 
ton, which he sold in 1719. for £26. 
Eecokds. 

Mr. Poyer's church records beginning 
July 22, 1710 and ending Dec. 17. 1731, con- 
tain entries of the baptisms, marriages and 
deaths of his people, all neatly written. 
Fi'om 1719 to 1725 there are unaccountable 
breaks, and scanty entries at distant in- 
tervals. Ke may have bei^n sick, or serving 
the church at Rye or absent elsewhere. He 
certainly went travelling to New England. 
He left a pile of sermons, his diplo«ia, 
certificates of ordination, list of communi- 
cants, also deeds, letters and business pa- 
pers.. 

Sermonir. 

Such of Mr. Poyer's sermons as have come 
down to us seem to bo well composed. At 
the end of each he notes when, where, and 
on what occasion it was delivered ^ The 
more notable ones are as follows : 

1709, Nov. 13 and 20— at Plymouth, Eng. 

1712, Wednesflay, May 21— Thanksgiving 
for deliverance from being murdered by 



negro slaves in N. Y., commonly called 
"the Negro plot." 

1713, Feb. 5 — funeral sermon on death 
Mrs. Rebecca Woolsey age 93. 

1714, Ap. 25 — sermon m N.. Y, before the 
Governor and his lady. 

1714, June 13— sermon at tke residence of 
the Govr and lady. 

1715, Ap. 7 — Thanksgiving for the Acces- 
sion of King George to the throne, by order 
of Gov. Hunter. 

1716, June 28, — Thanksgiving for the over- 
throw of the enemies of church and state 
in North Britain. 

1717, Aug. 4 — sermon at Elizabeth Town, 
N.J. 

1719, May 10 — his wife's funeral sermon. 

1720, Sep. — sermon at Boston. Sermon 
at Burlington, N. Jersey. 

1722, Nov. 27— sennon at Lloyd's Neck. 

1725, Jan. 9— read a brief for Helena Se- 
miss of Flushing, who had been burnt out. 

1727, Nov. 5— Thanksgiving for victory 
over the Rebels. 

Afflictions. 

Mr. Foyer writes (Nov. 9, 1722) "I was so 
ill as to have little hopes of recover^', indeed 
I have been in poor health for several years 
last past;" and again (Oct. 8, 1724) "my life 
has been one continued scene of trouble, 
kept out of my allowance from the country 
for years, and some of it lost; a great deal 
of sickness I had myself and in my family, 
seldom all of us being in health at the same 
time; I have buried 2 wives and 2 children 
in less than 5 years, and am now eleven in 
family, the oldest (Daniel) a little over 16, 
my house rent £16 per yeai-, and an expense 
every other Sunday of taking my children 
with me to Newtown and Flushing." June 
7, 1731, he was in custody of the sheriff for 
a judgment of £42 obtained against him by 
Henry Cuyler, merchant, of N. Y. In 1724 
he was cast in the suit for the parsonage, 
and it 1728 he was deprived of the cliurch 
and had to preach in the County Court House. 
Need we wonder that he writes (June 16 
1731) that the infirmities of age bear very 
hard on him, he is almost unable to ollici- 
ate and prays the Ven. Society to be per- 
mitted to quit his mission and return to 
Great Britain 

The Ven. Society granted his request to 
return to his native land and appointed Rev 
Thos. Colgan catechist to the negroes in 
Trinity Church, N. Y., to succeed him; but 
meantime Mr. Poyer had entered into rest. 
Death. 

Mr, Poyer labored in the paiish over 21 



I 



/ 



!5'ears and did not put off his lmru<!ss till 
Doc. 17, 1731. He seems to Iiave been taken 
sick suddenly, perliaps with smnll-po.\ as it 
was then prevalent. Dr. Evan Jonos, a 
quaker, was his family iihyslcian.f He 
made his will Jan. 8, 1732, but was so ill 
that he could not write out his name in full ; 
and died a few week after. His age is not 
given. He was buried (as is said; on the 
north side of the village Burying ground. 
No stone marks his grave or that of his 
widow. Two of his wives were laid und^r 
th(> old stone church while he yet had pos- 
session. He bore the charact'n- of a good 
natured, honest man and bcuelicent to his i 
neighbors. ! 

Note.— t Dr. Jones lived on pleasant terms ■ 
with Mr. Poyer. A note of hi.s yet remains ( 
wliich he, sent Mr. Poyer saying he expects some 
company to dinner and beg.s of Mr. Poyer some 
heads of cauliflower to set off his table." 
Will. 

in God's name, Amen. I Thomas Poyer, 
Clerk, being sick and weak, but of sound 
mind and memory make this my last will i 
and testament. ' | 

1st. I give my soul to God, my body to ', 
be christianly buried, in certain hopps of a j 
re-union of my body and soul at'tlielast 
day, and of eternal live through the sole ' 
merits of Christ my t>aviour; and 

2d, My worldly estate, ival and peisoiial. ' 
I give to my dear wife Sarah and her heirs, 
who has hereby power to sell such part as 
she pleases of my real estate for payment 
of my debts, and the rest of my estate tor 
the maintenance of herself and my chilrl- 
ren, and to be distributed amongst them at 
her discretion ; and I appoint lier Execu- 
trix. 

Witness my hand and s.-nl this 8tli day of 
January, Anno Domini, 17;J1. 

Tlie maik of 

T. r. \L.S. [ 
Thomas Poyer. 

Signed, sealed, delivered and pul)]is!i.'d 
by the within named Thomas I'oyer as his 
last will and testament, in presence of us 
8amt7KTj Clowes. 

\{^\. OLDI'IELD. 

Evan J(>nes. 

Proved at Hempstead, Ap. 22, 1732, before 
the Hon. Geo. Clark". Letters granted to 
Sarah Poyer, Exeoutri.\. 

Notice in N. Y. Gazette, M;iy 1. 17S2. 

AU persons having any domands on t!'o. 
estate of the R^-v. Mr. Thos. Poyi-r. decivi^. 
ed, late Rector of the church at Jamai.-n, 
are desired to send their accounts to ids 
widow in order for their being satishe'^!. 

j^i~ Those persons who have borrowed 
any books of Mr. Poyer are desired to r<'- 
tui"n them immediately. 



YUNDHE. 

The house where Mr. Poyer lately liver? 
in, at Jamaioa, -witli a lot of laud thoreto 
adjoinijig ; his household goods, books and 
other things will be sold :it public vendue 
to the hia;hest bidders on Monday, th(j 30tu 
day of May next, 1732. 

Winow Pqyeb. 

Mi's. Poyer sold her homestead with Ifi; 
ftcres of land west side of Beaver Pond to 
the Rev. Thos. Colgan. After paying her 
husband's debts and settling up the estate 
she found herself greatly reduced and even 
ill want of the necessaries of life. She had 
lived in a plentiful state before marr-iage. 
She was yet living in 1743. One of the sulv 
scription papers for her relief has the foj- 
lowing contributions : 

■s. d. s. (1. 

Bev. Thos. Colgan, Jain Hutcliiiigs, 2 
Andrew Clarke, 22 .ur. Clowes, ^ 5 

Benj. Wiggiii«, ();. Mrs. Bridges, 1 

Ri. Everett, 1 John Eetts, . 5. 

Ri. Grf?ene, 1 

Antiquities of Grace Clmrch, No. 6. 
Rev. Thomas CotjGan, 

Rector of the Parish, 1733 to 1755 ; was 
born in England, 1701,° and came over in 
1725. On the death of Mr. Poyer, Rev. 
Alex'r Campbell, Miss, at Brookhavcn, de- 
sired the succession; but the Rector and 
"Wardens of Trinity Church, N. Y., having 
recommended Mr. Colgan, who had already 
begun to preach here since June, 1732, Gov. 
Cosby issued a mandate for his induction 
on Wed. Jan 31, 1733. He had a clear, dis- 
tinct and loud voice that could reach the 
remotest hearers in the church. 
Mabeiage. 

Mr. Colgan by his marriage with Marj', 
daughter of John Reade and money acquired 
thereby, took a higher position in the social 
circle than Mr. Poyer.* His children were 
Reade ; Mary, who mar'd. Christopher Smith 
owner of the place since Gov'r. King's ; 
Sarah, who mar'd. 17G1, Thos, Hammersly;- 
Jane, who mar'd. 17G0, Wynant Van Zandt ; 
Judith, Thomas and Fleming; John died in 
1758. 

Note.—* Mr. Poyer desired in 1719 an appoint- 
Bient over the church at liyo, thongh he says : 
'•Jan'iaica is a much pleasanter place, where I 
have abundantly butter conversation than can bo 
had at Uyc." He offieiatcd at Itye statedly in 
1720-1 ; and on Feb. 2S, rec'd. for his services 
£12, 10. and the Vestry agreed to continue hiin. 
Farm. 
He bought the farm of Widow Poj-er and 



added other land to it so that it was in- I 
creased to 66 acres, all in good fence, with i 
barn and orchard of 100 trees capable of ! 
producing 100 bartels of older a, year. The ; 
house had eight rooms on a floor and two t 
good rooms up stairs, sash windows, having 
a beautiful view of Beaver Pond, more at- ! 
tractive tlien than now as it was overgrown i 
with shrubs and bushes and was a resort of ! 
birds and wild fowl. Ilis widosv offered 
this f<u- sale in 1759, and in 1765 was rei,id- ! 
ing in another house in the village east of 
and adjoining tlie Dutch and nearly oppo- 
site the English church. She died in April 
1776, aged 67. She and her husband wei-e 
each honored with obituaries in the N. Y. 
sMtrcunj. i 

Schools. 
In 1732 the Vcn. Society voted £15 a year i 
to I\Ir. Willett who was of exeraplarj' life i 
and conversation aud taught school with 
diligence. In 1737 I'.e had 43 scholars, of i 
whom 23 were taught gratis by the bounty 
of the Society. Thos. leinple was also a i 
teacher here at tiines, from 1731 to 1746. \ 
In 1743 John iloore a graduate of Yale Col- | 
lege and candidate for Holy Orders was re- j 
commended to the Society by Vesey and j 
Colgan as the most proper person to succeed j 
to the vacant selioc. at Jamaica, £15 a year | 
was granted liim. In 1761 "the old school 
housL'" was sold for £3. 

SXATK OF THE ClIUrCH. 

During Mr. Colgan's mini-tration hexMwe 
hear of no complaints of non-payment of ; 
EJilMry, no riots, no lawsuits or quarrels, as 
v,'as tlie case with his predecessor'. He 
writes to the Yen. Society (Feb. 16, 1732,) 
that his congregation in^'reases very much. 
Before he came to Jamaica but 20 or 30 eame 
to church, now there are more than 200 
every Sunday. They join in the worship 
with decency and devotion. If he had a 
church instead of a Court House the con- 
gregation would be still larger. And again 
.(Juno 14, 1734) he says he found the church 
declining, tlie Qualcers and Independents 
v.ere busy by many studied arts to destroy 
it — e-.'en the christian religion. The people 
being destitute of a church assembled 3 or 
4 years in the Town House, a very improper 
place for Divine worship, so that many were 
discouraged from doing their duty on tlie 
Lord's Day. He served tliem near 2 years 
in this condition, and then they began to 



exert themselves towards buikiing a new 
cbiiv-'h and solicited help froa abroAd and 
especially from the Gov'r and his family. 
GrtKCB Ciiur^cn Dedicated. 

"On Friday, April 5th, 17LU,. the n^w 
ei'GCted churcli at Jamaica w. is opened by 
the name of Geacc Ciitjucii, and Di^iuo 
service performed therein for tiie first time. 
The miiiioter of the rarish, the .Rev. Mr. 
Thos. Col;?Gn, preached a termon upon the 
oc'a'siou from Genesis 28: 16,17, ".Surely 
the Lord is in this place, etc." Hi j Excel- 
lency Gov'r. Cosby, his lady and whole fam- 
ily were pleased to honor the meeting with 
tiieir proienee, and by their very generous 
benefactions greut eiuiouragemcnt was given 
to a charitable contribuLinu for the tinish- 
iiig and completing so good a work— a work 
dedicated to the service of God. The mili- 
tia was under arms to attend His Excellen- 
c; , and so great a concoui'se of people met, 
vhat the church was not near able to con- 
t ;ia the number. 

'■After the sermon wa^ endod His Escel- 
loncy and family, and several ladies, gen- 
ii jmcn and clergy, werj very splendidly en- 
tertained at the house of Mr. Samuel Clowes, 
a tavern, in same town, by the members of 
the said chuvch."— Bradford's N. Y. Gazelle- 

The Governor's lady gave clotlis for the 
pulpit, reading desk and commuuion table; 
also a large Bible, Prayer Book and Sur- 
plice. * 

Mr. Colgan further writ?s : "We worship 
in the church, which 'lis thought will be 
one of the hand.^omest in North America ; 
but it is not yet complete. We want a bell. 
Our church is ilourkshing and inany are ad- 
ded to It. We are at peace with the Secta- 
ries around u=3. 1 shall be of a loving char- 
itable demeanor to every Persuasion." In 
1735, Feb. IS, he says the Independents who 
formerly thro' prejudice thought it a crime 
to Join with us in worship, now freely and 
with seeming sanctity and satisfaction come 
to our church when there is no service in 
their mealing house, i have baptized sev- 
ered grown people. I want some Prayer 
Books and books of instruction for the poor 
and ignorant people ; and Dr. King's ' 'In- 
vention of men in the v.^orship of God." A. 
church was erected in Newtown, April, 1735. 
PuECiiASEiJs OP Pews. 

Conditions of the sale of the pews and 



lots of Grave Cimreh, thi^s 23d of Feb. 1737, 
vis; : 

1. Each pew lot to be struck off to tha 
hijiieoL bidder. 

2. Every purchaser to build [his pcnv] in 
such season that the work be not hindered. 

3. Everj- purchaser to make use of hi* 
pe-.v, or the church shall 1 jt it out to anotli- 
er. 

i. On the purchaser leaving the Parish 
the pew or lot is to revert to the church. 

N7o. s. d.'No, .9. d. 

's I'dch. Betts, 16 lOl i \\m. Steel 12 
7 Pdcli.BeCls, jr* 11 6|l8 Benj. Tavlor 9 
} Tim'hv Bridges 15 i20 Beiij. Thorue U 

13 Andrew Clark 12 |23 Isaac Van Hook 11 

10 Sam. Clowea, sr 16 10 6 Anta'y Waters 12 
9 !Sam. Ciowesjr 11 6 Wm Welling 13 

Sam. Clowes * 14 G 1 Dan. Whitehead 20 

14 iljbt. i?arman 3'J Beuj. Whitehead 20 
' 22 Tiios. Colgan 21 6 J7 Edward Willett 5 

2 Kobt. Howell 16 d2 John Willett 12 

11 Gabriel Luff* 12 ;27 Wm. Wiggins * 12 6 
19 Sarah Poyer, gratis. 29 Silas Wiggins * 15 

3 Geo. Reynolds 12 16 Henry Wright 10 
23 Dan. Sawyer 11 6 25 Guy Youngs * 14 

Sam. Smith 5 

KoTE.— ^Defaulted in p.syment. 

Chukch Bell. 

The Jamaica Lottery will be drawn on 
Nov. 10th, 1747, in Queens County Hall, in 
the presence of 3 or more Justices o! the 
peace and such other persons as the adven- 
turers may nominate. The managers, Dr» 
Jacob Ogden and Sam. Clowes give their 
trouble gratis. There are 1300 tickets at 8s. 
each, equal to £520. From each prize 12J 
per cent, will be deducted for purchasing a 
bell for Grace Church. 

1740, Nov. 22, Mr. Colgan writes that the 
church members have increased yearly for 
the past 7 years, the building is generally 
■well filled. The Sects look on the church 
with a more respectful eye. Whitefield and 
itinerant enthasiasts have lately been 
preaching on the Island and broach errone- 
ous opinions on regeneration. He wants 
the Society to send him, for circulation 
among the people Waterland's pieces and 
the Bishop of London's Pastoral letter on 
lukewarmness and enthusiasm. Mar. 24, 
17'±], he wants "Trial of Whiteficld's spirit," 
"Englishmen directed in choice of relig- 
ion," "Stillingfleet on separation." Sep. 
29th, ho again writes that the church was 
never so thriving and increases in members 
and in the esteem of those without its pale; 
he has baptized 17 persons in 3 families 
tainted with Anabaptism and Quakerism. 
In 1744, he says: "Our church is peaceful 



and growing while other separate assetn- 
blies are in confusion" * In 1746 he says : 
"An entire family of good repute has con- 
iormed from Independency to our church." 
A church has been erected at Flushing main- 
ly by the bounty of Capt. Weiitworth. A 
Quaker gave some money at the opening of 
the new church and afterwards thought he 
had hot put enough in the plate and gave 
more to the collector. In 1751, Mr. C. speaks 
of having "50 steady communicants, has 
baptized 16 whites and 10 negroes in the last 
6 months ; and 1753 he baptized 12 white 
and 8 black infants in the last 6 months; 
and all tlie 3 churches of his cure are in an 
increasing state." This is Mr. Colgan's last 
letter. He died in Dec. 1755, "a gentleman 
much esteemed by his acquaintance," and 
was buried in the chancel. 

Note. — *Tliis alludes to a dissension in the 
Dutch Churches caused by a sharp sermon of 
Doiuino Goetschius, Aug. 22, 1741, on "the Uh- 
kuown God."' 

Disputed Succession. 
The Ilev. Mr. Chandler writes (Ap. 10, 1756) 
to the Yen. Society that several of the Mis- 
sionaries had agreed to take their turns in 
taking care of the Church at Jamaica town 
till the disputes raised by the Vestry about 
a successor to Mr. Colgan should subside 
and a new minister be appointed to officiate 
there. 

Mr. Barclay acquaints the Ven. Society 
that the church had suffered a great loss by 
the death of Mr. Colgan at Jamaica, and 
that the churches under his care were very 
apprehensive of great difficulties in obtain- 
ing a worthy clergyman of the Church of 
England to succeed him, because the Dis- 
senters were a majoiityin the Vestry of the 
Parish ; and it too soon appeared that their 
apprehensions were not without good rea- 
son, for the Dissenters prevailed by their 
majority in the Vestry to present one Simon 
Horton a Dissenting Teacher to Sir Charles 
Hardy the Gov'r. tor Induction into the Par- 
ish of Jamaica town; but the Gov'r. in obe- 
dience to his instructions from His Majesty 
would not admit him into that cure, because 
he could not produce a certificate under the 
Episcopal seal of the Bishop of London of 
his conformity to the Liturgy of the Church 
of England ; and when no person thus qual- 
ified had boon presented to the Gov'r. after 
more than six months His Excellency wevs 
pleased to collate the Ilev. Mr. Samuel Sea- 



bury, jr., Itissioiiaiy at Ncvt Brunswick to 
the cure of the church ut Jamaica town, and 
j he hath now for some time been settled 
[ there with the society's approbation. * 
; Note.— *Mr. Seabury (Oct. 12, 1756,) mar'd. 
widow Mary Hides uf j\. Y. He was son of the 
I luiiiister at Hempstead by whose iuHueuco jjer- 
' jiaps lie became iieetor of Jamaica Parish. He 

Antiquities of Grace Church, No. 7. 

Samuel Seaburt, Jr., Rector, Easterday^ 

1757, to Dec. 1766. 

" State of the Church. 

Mr. Seabury * writes (1759) that within 6 
months he had baptized one white and one 
negro adult, and 15 white and 3 negro in- 
fants, but gained no communicants. Preach- 
ing once in 3 weeks only keeps up a languid 
sense of religion. Open infidtlity has not 
made such progress at Jamaica as at Flush- 
ing ; but the people are remiss in attending 
Divine service. In 17G0 he still complains 
of the backwardness of church members in 
attending and of such a neglect of the Lord's 
Supper that the communicants scarce ex- 
ceed 20. He labors publicly and privately 
to bring them to a sense of their duty. 

IS GTE.*— Originally written Sedborough. 
Charter. 

The following church members thinking 
its interests and prosperity would be pro- 
moted and its temporalities better managed 
petitioned (Ap. 8, 1761) for a charter. 

Samuel Seabury, Jr., Minister. 
Eieh. Betts. sJos. Oldfield, sr. and jr. 

Thos. Biaine. ; Adam Lawrence. 

Beni. Carpenter, iWm. Sherlock. 

John & Gilbert Comes. jJohn & Sam. Smith. 
Robert Howell. iJohn Troup. 

Thos. Hinchman, iThos. Truxton. 

John Hutchings. ;Isaac Van Hook. 

Dr. John Innes. iBenj. Whitehead. 

Dr. Jacob Ogden. 

State of the Church. 

Mr. Seabury (1762) informs the Yen. So- 
ciety that the church gradually increases 
and a more serious turn of mind boRins to 
sho-w itself. The church has been com- 
pletely repaired, chiefly at the expense of 
Mr. John Troupe, a worthy gentleman from 
N. Y., and it is now one of the neatest and 
most commodious churches in this part of 
the world. INIr. Troup also presented a sil- 
ver collection plate, cost £11 2. 8.. a large 
Prayer Book, cost £3 3., and a table for the 
communion. The entire Parish consists of 
about 710 ratable inhabitants. About 120 



families profess themselves of the Church 
of England ; more than 500 are Dissenters, 
including quakers, deists and members of 
the Dutch church, besides 3 families of 
French Neutrals from Nova Scotia, and a 
few negroes and Indians. Within the year 
he has baptized 27 white and 3 negro child- 
ren and 3 adults. He has 29 communicants. 
He lately baptized 2 female children of a 
Jew, a gentleman of fortune in Jamaica 
town, whose mother is a professor of the 
Church of England. The father was pres. 
ent and seemed not a little affected. 

SUBSCBIPT10N3 

for repairing the church steeple, windows . 
and fence. May 1, 1761 : 

£ s. 

Dr. John Innes, 



John Armstrong, 1 
John Betts, 5 

Rich. Betts, 2 

Thos. Betts, 2 

Wm. Betts, 
Thos. Braine, 2 

John Burnett, 2 
Benj. Carpenter, 2 
John Comes, 2 

Thos. Cornell, jr. 1 
Fleming Colgan, 3 
Geo. Dunbar, 
Judge Dan. Hors- 

manden, 10 
ThoB. Hinchman, 2 
Wm. Howard, 1 

Thos. Hammersly, 1 
HutchingB & Howell 



£ 
4 
2 
1 
1 
2 
2 



Thos. Jones, 
John Jauucey, 
Wm. Murray, 
Dr. Jacob Ogden, 
Jos. Oldfield, 
Tunis Polhemus, 
Jos. Robinson, 2 
Sam. Smith, jr. 2 
John Smith, Union 2 
Wm. Sherlock. 2 
John Troup, 10 

Robert Troup, 1 
Thos. Truxton, 4 
Ph. VanCourtland 1 
Isaac Van Hooli, 
Benj. Whitehead, 2 



16 



5 
16 

Fabm. 

"Feb. 1. 1762. To be sold and entered on 
when the purchaser pleases, a small planta- 
tion (since Walter Nichols) half a mile east 
of Jamaica village on which Mr. Seabury 
Rector of the church now lives. It con- 
tains 28 acres of good land, a good dwelling 
house (one end new), a genteel building, a 
dry cellar under the whole house, a well of 
good water, new barn, hovel and smoke- 
house. There is a fine orchard that makes 
50 barrels of cider ; also a screw-press and 
cider-mill of a new invention that grinds 50 
bushels of apples in an hour. Also 14 acres 
of woodland 2 miles from the farm, and 8 
acres of salt meadow that cuts 20 loads of 
salt hay. 

Apply to the above said Samuel Seabury, 
Jr., who will give a good title." 
State of the Chukch. 

Mr. Seabury still complains (1764) of the 
backwardness of his parishioners in com- 
plying with the christian sacraments, owing 
to the influence of qxmkerism and infidelity. 
Mr. Whitefleld has again visited the Island 
whose tenets and methods of preaching 



have been adopted by many Dissenting 
Teachers, and strolling preachers who mis- 
represent the church of England as papists 
and teaching her members to expect salva- 
tion on account of their own works and de- 
servings ; but no church people have been 
led away, and many have become more seri- 
ous and devout. He has baptized within a 
year 11 adults, 40 white, 25 black children. 
He has 28 communicants. A friendly dispo- 
sition has subsisted between Dissenters and 
church people ever since he has been here. 
1765, he observes his people are more friend- 
ly to each other and promise to be more 
punctual in paying him the allowance for 
house-rent, which if they perform his situa- 
tion will be as good as he has a right to 
expect. From Michaelmas 1764 to Michael- 
mas 1765 he has baptized 26 white and 7 
black children. 

Seabuby leaves. 
On Dec. 3, 1766, Mr. Seabury with consent 
of the Ven. Society * to his request was in- 
stituted rector of St. Peter's Church, West- 
chester. He writes July 25, 1767, that "be- 
fore I left Jamaica I baptized there 4 adults 
and 3 infants. I have made two visits there 
since and baptized 1 adult, 2 white children 
and 3 black ones, and I must do the people 
at Newtown the justice to say that since my 
removal they sent me £20 currency. There 
are here no burial fees, but the wealthy 
sometimes give me a linen scarf, marriage 
fees are from one to four Spanish dollars. 

jy'oTE* — The Ven. Society was incorporated 
June 16, 1701. 

Kev. Joshua Bloomeb, 
Kector, 1769 to 1790. was bom in West- 
chester, and in 1759 was captain in the Pro- 
vincial forces and afterwards a merchant in 
N. Y. He failed in business but in after 
years when he acquired money he devoted 
it to the payment of his debts. He was an 
unselfish man. Having once married a 
couple where a generous fee might well 
have been expected, an inquisitive person 
asked him next day the amount of his fee. 
"O I had forgotten all about it," he replied. 
"It must bo in my other pocket." On 
searching for it 2 or 3 guiness were found 
wrapped up in paper. He died Wed. June 
3,1790, at the age of 55, "universally re- 
gretted," and was buried irw the chancel. 
The church owed him a balance of £14 6. 9, 
at his death. He had been recommended, to 



the Ven. Society by the 'Rev. Dr. Johnson"^ 
and several other clergymen as a studious 
young man of a very fair character, and de- 
sirous to eater the ministry. He was 
accordingly ordained by the Bishop of 
London, and appointed Missionary with a 
grant of £30 yearly to the Parish of Jamaica, 
Flushing and Newtown at the earnest re- 
quest of the people signified to the Society 
by the church vvardeiis of tho^e towns. 

State of the Chut!ch. 

Mr. Bloomer writes that he came passen- 
ger in the Britannia to N. Y., and so to Ja- 
maica safely in May, 1769, and was kindly f 
received by the people. He fmds the i 
church at Jamaica a neat well finished buil- 
ding, but those at Newto^vn and Flushing 
small. He has 39 communicants who by 
their constant attendance and unblemished 
life are an honor to religion. In 1771 he 
again writes that he has been happy from 
the day of his arrival in the affections of 
his people expressed by every mark of kind- 
ness and respect which renders him the 
more able to engage their minds to religion, 
the good effect of which is already con- 
spicuous in their constant attendance on 
public worship, and in the prevailing sense 
of a holy life. He officiates in course on 
Sundaj's at his 3 churches, and expounds 
the scriptures in the week to his people whp 
have a great desire for instruction. He 
cultivates peace and love with people of 
other persuasions in the neighborhood. 

Note.*— 1704 June 16, arrived in N. Y., the 
Rev. Mr. Urquhart, minister of Jamaica. He 
came from England in the Faullvland, man of 
war, in consequence of the sea being infested 
with French and Spanish privateers. 

Note.*— 1722 June 13, Mr. Poyer inducted Mr. 
Jenney as Eector of Rye. 

Eecobds. 

Mr. Bloomer's records of marriages be- 
gin July 6, 1769 ; but the records of bap- 
tisms before June 1, 1780 are lost. Thus no 
records of Urquhart, Colgan or Seabury 
can now be found. Mr. Bloomer's original 
record-book bound in vellum disappeared 
after Parson Johnson's death, though for- 
tunately he had copied it into a book of his 
own. So Grace Church is unfortunate in 
the loss of many of her old records. 
State of the Chukch. 

Mr. Bloomer says (Feb. 15, 1770) I preach 
at the three churches alternately and gen- i 
erally to crowded assemblies, who behave 



with decorum. The churches are neat and 
well finished. Tho' I enjoy the love and 
esteem of my hearers, 1 have a trouble- 
some lawsuit against the Parish for £60 
yearly salary of which I have not received 
a farthing for years. 

. Chtjrch wakdens sued. 
-Mr. Bloomer was inducted, Tuesday, May 
23, l7Gy, but the wardens refused to pay his 
salary. He had to institute a suit in Chan- 
cery against Hendrickson «fc Edsall. It 
was long depending and not till April 1774 
did Grov. Tryon the Chancellor decide in 
Bloomer's favor, each party to pay their 
own costs. To alleviate the misfortune of 
the losing party, Mrs. Tryon before her de- 
p;;rture for London, kindly made them a 
present of the costs amounting to £80. 
Noble woman ! 

Note.*— Hiuchnian as church warden before 
the liev. \'iar had invested £100 of the church 
money wiiich was repaid to hiai in 1776, in Ctn- 
tineutal bills ; but in 17tiO the British Police 
Court, lit Jamaica, obliged him to pay over this 
money \Yith interest (Xl'^0) iu coin to Mr. Bloom- 
er. Ou petition oi' his willow Joanna to the Legr 
islatuie in 17yu the money was refunded. 

CHAXCELIiOR'S DECREE. 

"I decree that the defendants shall on or 
before the 4:tii day of June next, at the 
door of the Parish church of Jamaica, be- 
tween the hours of 10 and 12 in the fore- 
noon pay Mr. Bloomer his salary from the 
time of his Induction May 23, 1769 to the 
commencement of his suit, in this Court, 
put of any monejrs that may hav6 accrued 
under the Ministry Act, and have been re- 
ceived by the defendants as church- war- 
dens prior to the filing of the bill, but with- 
out any interest. And I recommend the 
Parish of Jamaica to pay all arrears of sal- 
ary to the Rer. Mr. Bloomer that are due 
him since filing the bill as any delay or fur- 
ther dispute would justly subject them to 
payment of coats." 

EevoiiUtionart War. 

Iklr. Bloomer writes that the principal 
members of his congregation who refused 
to join the measures of the Congress in 1775- 
6, had their houses plundered, their persons 
seized, some put in prison, others sent un- 
der guard to Conn. "I administered the 
Sacrament at Newtown, where I had but i 
or 5 male communicants, tho rest being I 
driven off or carried away prisoners. I was j 
forbidden to read the Prayers for the King 
and Royal family. On consulting my war- J 



deus and vestry (rather than omit any por-T 
tion of the liturgy) we bhut up our chui-ch j 
for 5 weeks ; but on the arrival of the King's j 
troop stJrvices virore resumed and in 177T, I j 
had 6G communicants." In 1780 Eev. John, j 
Sayre assisted him. At the close of the 
war hl-3 pay from the Ven. Society ceased. | 

ClIUKCH GliEBE. i 

In 1778, £800 was raided by lottery to lay 
out for a glebe ; and the farm of W. Creed 
a mih^ west of the village was purchased, 
"70 acres of arable land, which will always 
be a considerable support for the Mission- 
ary. The buildings iifeed improvement to 
make the place comfortable and convenient." 
The glebe did not suit as well as was ex- 
pected and was sold.* Money toward pur- 
chasing a glebe had been previously raised 
by lottery as appears by the following ad" 
vertisement : 

JAMAICA PAPvI-^H CHURCH 
Lottery, 5th and Last Class. 

Scheme, viz : 



1 prize of $300 is 


$300 


1 do 


200 " 


200 


1 do 


100 " 


100 


4 do 


50 " 


200 


10 do 


20 " 


200 


30 do 


10 " 


300 


50 do 


8 " 


400 


575 do 


4 " 


2300 


672 Prizes. 


$4000 


1328 Blanks. 







2000 tickets at $2 each are $4000 
equal to £iG00. At 15 per cent, deduc- 
tion £240. Not two blanks to a prize. 

^^3g=»The managers of tlie Jamaica Parish 
Glebe Lottery take this opportunity to re- 
turn their sincere thanks to their friends 
for the a.'-sisLuiice they have given, in be- 
friending the 4 classes of the Glebe Lot- 
TEKY, which enabled them to finish the 
classes much s(,ioner than they had reason 
to expect, — but as the dispatch occasioned; 
a number of the tickets to remain on hand 
to the church, winch having proved unfor- 
tunate, they flatter themselves of this last 
indulgence of their friends in giving their 
assistance to the above sclieme. 

New York, Feb 25, 1772. 

SUBSCKIPTIOXS 

for painting and shingling the church, Aug^ 

and Sept. 1786 : 

! £ 8 

;Dan. Kissara 

(.it, the Fly) 2 
L'hristoiiuerSmitli 3 
•Margaret iSmilh 2 
Ahm. 8kiiiiier(law)2 10 
John Troup, 5 



Edward Bardin, 2 
Tho8. Betts, 
Sam. Browiijohn, ,3 
Joshua 151oonier, 2 
ThoB. Col;j;an 

(not paid) 1 



Dr. John Charlton 3 
Jas. Depeyater, 3 
Sam. Eldert. 
Wm. Edgar, 2 

Samson Fleming, 2 



lioljVTroiipQ, 3 5 
:\Vm.WaterK, 9 

l(-.i>il!!i I. Wiitc-rs, U 

Tiies. Welling, 1 
Sam. Welling, 1 



Note-*— 178G, Feb. 9. "For sale, the farm be- 
longing to tbe Episcopal cbiircli, Jsimaica, pleas- 
antly situated a mile west ol the village. It con- 
tains 70 acres (6 of which in woodland) good for 
pasture or tillage. It baa a house, barn and 
young orchard with a variety of other fruit. In. 
quire of Christopher Smith, Jauiaiea ; Dan. Kis- 
sam, Flushing Fly, or Rev. air. iiloomer, New- 
town." In 1788; RIi-. Blooraor spent L"1'J. 19. 9. in 
repairs on the glebe. In 1788, Jacol) Bedell serv- 
ed as clerk at £5 a year. In 1792, the vestry vote 
that his character shall be looked alter. 

Ai^tiquities of Grace CIiui-cli,' 2To. S. 

Wm. HAMMEiiii, Rector, 1790 to 1795. 

was called Aug. 1, 1790, at a salary of £40 

per year from Jamaica and £25 or £30 in 

lieu of the glebe. Kewtown paid £40, and 

Flushing £35. 

Mabeied 
in N. Y.. Oct. 22, 1791, Eev. Wm. Kammell 
of Jamaica to Mrs. Catharine Piercy widow 
of Capt. Piercy of the British Navy. 

In 1791, candles for the lecture cost 7s.. &d. 
Dec. 30, 1793, a subscription was started to 
buy a horse, saddle and bridle for Mr. Ham- 
mcll. Newtowai paid £5 18 ;' Flushing £10, 
and Jamaica £17 8. The horse was bought 
of Wm. Golder for £34. 

In 1792, the glebe was sold to John Van 
Liew for £603 10 and the money lent OA 
bend, to P^lias Hicks £225 ; to John B. Hicks 
£200 ; to Christ'r Smith £100. 

Mr. Hammcll's eyesight became so weak 
tluit he could not well see to read prayers 
in public service, so he resigned Aug. 1/, 
1795; but his people paid his salary up to 
Nov. ftnd added a gift of £100. 

Died 
on the afternoon of Feb. 17, 1840, after a 
short illness, in the 78th year of his age, 
Eev. W. Hammell of the Episcopal Church. 
The friends and acquaintances and those of 
his son Wm. H. Hammell are respectfully 
invited to attend his funeral to-tnoirow af- 
ternoon, 19th inst., at 4 o'clock, from No. 
31 Downing st., N. Y. 

Communicants 1791-3. 

Jas. and Milla Mackce' 
Isaac and Mary Pettit. 



Mrs. Ann Betts. 
James, Barab, Ann, and 

Ann U. De.;^ieyst !r. 
John and Mary Dudley. 
John and Deborah Dunn 
Catbarin'.^ Hammell. 
Jas. and Sarah Morrell. 

CHAEIiJLS SeABUKY, 

son of the Bishop was called Jan. 15, 1 
and left Mar. 2d, 



Aaron Van Nostraud. 
Jacob Vail Pelt. 
Aletta Warne. 
Christopher and Mary 

Bmitb. 



Elijah D. Eattoone 
was called May 12, 1797, at a salary of $250 
per year, from Jfi maica, and the interest of 
£900 which the church had in bonds from 
the sale of the glebe. He resigned June 4, 
1802, and went to S. Paul's church, Balti- 
more. He had married in 1791, the daugh- 
ter of Kev. Dr. Beach of N. Y. His re;ii- 
dcnce ^Ya3 the place since Miller's, and is 
thus described April 23, 1802 : 

"A country seat in Flushing, on the road 
from /amaica, containing 110 acres, being 
land bou;cht by BenJ. Cock of Thos. WiLcfct 
1793. On it is a u.-\v house 44 by .30 feet, 
with a kitchen and bedroom for servants iu 
the ba;?. mcnt, and 6 bedrooms on the 2d 
story. It is on a lofty eminence with a view 
of Newt.'vn, Flushing and its bay, the 
Sound > .^stch ester and the Jersey shore. 
The gruui.d slopes from the house which 
overlooks the farm, and is approached by 
avenues of butternut and poplar trees. It 
has pear and cherry trecS and 1200 peach 
trees transplanted from Prince's nursery. 
Enquir.i of Pi,ev. Dr. Beach, N. Y., or Eev. 
Mr. Kattoone on the premises." 

In 1797 Jas. Mackerel bought the place of 
Eliphalst Wickes for a church glebe at a 
cost of -300. 

In 1797 the glebe of Grace Church w;is 
purchased b^' Jas. Depeyster, and in 1803 
the vestry decided that Mrs. Depeyster must 
take notliing that is fast from the plebe. 

In 1793 John V. Nostrand and Elizabeth 
Johnson re:)ted the glebe, and in 1799 V. Nos- 
trand and Mr, Price, 

In 1799 a stove was got for the church. 

In 18C0 the small house and lot produced 
a yearly rent of £24, 

In 1801 Lliss Wolt'endale and her pupils 
are allowed the use of a souare pew. 

In 1815, Oct. 20, the globe was sold to Dr. j 
N. Shelton for $1250. 

Feb. 22d, 1800, was commemorated in 
honor of the virtues and talents of George i 
Washmf:-ton at Jamaica, w'hi-n Mr. Eattoone 
said prayers, Mr. Ei^^enbrodt delivered the 
oration, and two odes composed by Lir. Fai- 
loute were sung. The [/recession was form- 
ed in front of the Episcopal Church and 
marched to the old stone church, thepulpifc, 
deslj and gallery of which were shrouded 
in black. 

The CniTKcii Fxtsds 
on esaminatioa iu 1794 proved to be in an 
unsatiofnctory eon:iition. Pliillip Van Cort- 



laud's bond for i500 in 1772 had I'lj^oars' in- 
terest due on it; Etoury Dawson's bond for 
;i:;}5 7. 7, had 15 yearly' interest due, and Benj. 
Carpeiittn-'s bond of £23 5. 7, liad 10 yearo' 

iuLerest due. 

CAiiViN White 

was induc-ted July 21, 1803. The vestry and 
clergy dined at Mrs. Waters'. His salary 
was $500 and til e use of the glebe, whieh 
John v. Nostrand the tenant was re:iuosted 
to give up to hiiu Doc. 10, 1802. There 
i seemed to be a mutual misunderstanding 
between him and the vestry. The vestry 
were displeased at his alleged want of can- 
dor. He left Aug. 17, 180-1. Mr. White 
left the Presbyterian church and passed 
thro' the Episcopal on his way to Eomo, Ee 
was, it is said, an accomplished scholar and 
thorough master of Hebrew, He was wide- 
ly known and loved. His life was pure, 
heart kind and manners courteous. He 
died at Derby, Conn., in 1553, aged 90. Hi. 
Grant White the literateur is his grandson. 

]\lAKiaED j 

Oct. 23, 1792, by the Kev. Dr. McWhorter, | 
the Ecv. Calvin White, minister of Hano- j 
ver, N. J., to Miss Phebe Camp of Newark. 
"Happy the youth that tiiuls the biide 
Whose birth is to bis awn alUed, 
The sweetest joy of life."— tiatts. 

Geoege Stkebeok, ] 

who had served 6 months at North Salem, j 
was called for 6 months from May 1, 1S05, 
There is no record of his services here as 
ChristoplierSmith then died. Mr. Strebeck 
had been a Lutheran. He was deposed for j 
intemperance when rector of St. Stephen's ] 
church, N. Y. After that he kept school i 
and his sun went down in a cloud. Ftcv. S. , 
E. Johnson once when traveling out West j 
stopped for the night at a taver^ and saw | 
a man in seedy clothing sitting in the bar- j 
room. Toward b j l-time the lancUora said : j 
"Strebeck it's time now for you to go home.' 

Andrew Fowlee 
was called for G months, Ap. 8th, 180G. He 
was bom at Eye in 17C0, kept school there 
and read prayers for 6 months at the close 
of the Eevolutionary war. He was ordain- 
ed priest 1790 and for 2 years had charge of 
! the' churches of Setauket, Huntington and 
Oyster Bay. Thence he went to Courtland. 
He died respected and beloved at Charles-, 
ton, Dec. 9, 1850, aged 90. 



JOHN IlEELAND. 

who had served at Westchester and Brook- 
lyn, was called for G mouths from May 1, 
1S07. lie died as chaplaiu in the Brooklyn 
navy yard. Mar. 25, 1822, aged 6G. Ho was 
born ill England, the son of a British Eov- 
olutionary oliicer. He was a scholar of 
polished manners and pleasing \oice. 

Edmund S. Bakey, 
a classical teacher in N. Y., of Irish birth, 
was calhid for a year for $500. The vestry 
also paid his stage expanses, and board 
from Sat. night till Monday morning. 

Timothy Clowes 
Was called Ap. 23, 1S09, at a salary of S7Q0, 
and loft Ap. 9, 1310, for S. Peter's, Albany. 
He was a graduate of Col. College, served 
S, Matthew s church, Jersey City, from Aug. 
1, 1808, till he came to Jamaica. He board- 
ed at widow Dunbar's and became engaged 
to her niece Mary. The engagement was 
subsequently broken off by mutual consent. 
The people would not lut the matter drop 
thus, but took sides for and against their 
minister. Mr. Clowes having allowed some 
disparaging remarks to escape his lips, Miss 
Dunbar at the instigation of her friends 
brought suit against him in the Supreme 
Court, N. Y., Oct. 30, 1810, by her attorney, 
Martin S. AVilkins. The ablest coimsel 
were employed on both sides and th<^ jury 
rendered a verdict, iUay -1, 1812, of iDl.OCil 
dama:es and G (^ents costs. — Eve. Post and 
Mer. Adv., Aj). 25, 1812. 

Mr. Clowes was a large, raw-boned man, 
but beneath a rough exterior he had a cul-. 
tivated mind. He published a volume of 
sermons and some mathematical works. 
Most of his life was spent in teaching. In 
1830 he started a weekly paper called The 
Schoolmaster. He closed his chequered ca- 
i"eei at Benip-^tead, tlie place of his nativity, 
June 19, 1847, at tlie age of GO, having re- 
ceived the last coiisolations of the eimrch 

GiLBEKT H. SaYKES 

was called May 1, 1810, at a salary of $750 
per year. He was a graduate of Col. College 
1808, studied for the ministry with Rev. Dr. 
Lyell of N. Y.,' and was ordained priest by 
Bishop Hobart in Zion Church, N. Y., Feb. 
27, 1812. At his first coming ho wore the 
conventional dress, of that day, viz : breech- 
es buckled at the knee, black stockings, 
and shoes. He retired from the charge 
May 1, 1830, on an allowance of $100 per 
year for five years. He died Ap. 27, 1867, 
aged 80, having received the degree of S. T. 



j D., in 1H&. 

I Hefu-stoccupiedtliehcii-enowDr.Wood'.i - 
j but ill 1812 the place of Smith Hiclis was 
bou;,'ht for liini at :i cost of £082. In 1820 
I the parsonage farm -was sold to the Beetor 
; for Uiiii). j 

Mr. Hayras' parents were Friends. When I 
a mere boy in N, Y., instead of going to i 
meeting on First Days, he sti-ayed o^' to j 
other churches to hear eloquent speakers, I 
and especially to llut^tir's st. Presbyterian ■ 
church where he was captivatL'd with Dr. j 
Milleiioh-r. His views changed and the | 
painful duty was laid on him of forsaking j 
the belief of his parents. His mother laid , 
his defection deeply to heart and was so j 
strict and conscientious a Friend that she ! 
could nc\ er attend his public ministrations, i 
tliough otherwise she had all a mother's ai- [ 
feotion for him, i 

After Mr. Sayrcs retired from the rector- j 
sliip he let no opportunity of doiir.^ good or ! 
of giving good advice pass by unimprove . 
'i'he poor and iiunible found in him a bene i 
factor and counsellor. lie was a '.rtat i\ : d- . 
er arnd his mind was well furnished with 
useful knov, ledge. IJaviiig enjoyed th.? so- 
ciety of sta^tesmen, lawyers, and proniinei'.' I 
men, he had a good store of interesting ai I 
eedotes that made his company desirable. , 
; He had overtasked his bodily and mentai 
energies early in his ministry. Kaving for | 
long years struggled against sundry ail- 
ments, by great care and prudencd his use- 
ful lif .^ was prolonged to an advanced ag.'. 
He was emphatically the christian gentle- 
man. 

Chtjecii Eesitilt. 
June 2d, 1820, the vestry resolved to re- 
pair and eidarge the old churcli ; but at a 
meeting, 8ept. 7th, a plan of a new church 
v/as submitted to tiieir inspection and lyas 
approved. John Van Not^trand and John 
Tiiatford were the builders. 
CONSEGEATIOX. 

1822, July 15, Monday morning the neat 
and elegant church was consecrated bvBiah- 
op Kobart. His text wa.s : "Take care hov*' 
ye hear." The house was crowded to ove:- 
ilowing. Timothy Nostrand and L. E. A. 
Eigenbrodt wawi-ns. 

Wm. L. Johnson 
oonimencod here Mayl, lo30, atSGCOayear, 
and liiK'iiig his own dwelling. Ke rec?ived 
the degree of D. D., from Allehany Col- 
lege. He died Au.;. 4, 1870, a; ed 70. Sev- 
eral of his tfv,-rmons were piiblislied. He 
was a niaii of a euliivated mind and gener- 
ous to excess, liaving never learned tlie art 
of hoarding up mom.'y. 

CiiKisriAN Courtesy. 

At a special meeting (lb57, Nov. 23,) the 
vestry expressed tlieir deep sympathy wiLh 



the congregation or inc uei. Jjiicen^ciinreii 
in thesevcraclispeu-ation of being deprived 
oi" tlie use oi' tlieir liouse of wordhip by fire, 
and tinidorcd tlieai the use of their ciiurcii 
on Sunday afternoons, and directed that 
seat6 be pruvid.'tl for .■iuch of thorn as may 
wish to attend our reguhxr services. 

Signed, Jer. VatjEKTIne, Clerk. 

18G9, May 8.— Tlie vestry concluded to re- 
pair the ciiurch, and Aug. 2G, it was reopen- 
ed and a grand Te Deum performed. 

18G1.— About 3 o'clock on New Year's 
morning, a Are from th^ Hue of the furnace 
was disco \ured. The newly repaired chur ;< 
was dj^^^-troji'd with most of its contents, 
organ, two tablets, communioa table, etc 
The bell was cast at EliKabethtown in 1708. 
The tombstones under and near the build- 
ing v»-ero crumbled. Value $18,000, insured j' 
for ^G.OOO. I 

18G1, Ivlay 21.— Th<^ vestry contracted v/ith I 
Anders Petersen, mason, and Kcndriek i 
Briuckerhoff, carpenter, to build a Gotliio , 
e.Kiiee of Jersey bine stone, size 43 by 9 J j 
feet, the tower 12 feet squaie oa S. W. cor- 
ner to l>e 112 feet high. July 6th, the corner '• 
atone was laid by Bisiiop Potter. Among ] 
other tiuiigs it contained a list 04 %he> officers ' 
of tlie ciiurch, viz : 1 

liov. Wm. L, Johnson, D. D., Eector. 1 

Honrlrick Briuckerhoff, i 
Jolai A. King, \ Wardens. 1 

Vestrtjiiien. | 

Wm. J. Cogswell. Dajiiel Smith. j, 

Jureiuiah Valoatino. ISamuei T. Woollcy. 
Dr. G^. H. liiasam. James J. BreuSon". p 

John L. Benton. John Demott Bergen. |! 

On Sunday, Sep. 21, 1SG2, the new church j; 
was opened for Divine s rvice. The lie. -tor li 
officiated, assisted by E,ex'. 8. J. Corneille. i 
The organ was the gift of Gov, Khig, tiie | 
bishop's chair and books for the reading \\ 
desk the gift of his family. 

EXCHA]S"GE OP ChKISTIAN COURTESiy. 

At a meetuig of the vestry, Oct. 8, 18G2, 
the following letter was diawu up : 

To Ihs CoMsislorij of the Rrf. Dutch Church, 
Jamaica. 
Geatiemen— Y/hereas with great liberaji- 
ty and true christian spirit you gave the use 
of your Consistory Ptooni to the congrega- 
tioii of Grace C'huroh (on the destruction of 
its edifice by lire) for the purpose of Divine 
worship; tiierefore, Eesolved that our best 
thanks are hereby tendered you for the very 
acceptable and comfortable accommoda- 
tions t'urnisiied us ; and the congregation 
will ever hold in grateful remembrance this 
act of liberality and consideration. 
Signed. Jer. Valen'^^ii^e, 

Clerk of tlie Vestry. 
BetjL. 
The amalgam' bell was rejected and a new 
one from Aieneely hung Oct. 6, 18S2. It 
weighed over 1200 !lis. 



CONSECEATION. 

On Thursday, Jfan- 8, 18(53, Bishop Potter 
consecrated the church in presence ot! 21) 
clergymen. The instrument of donation 
and endowment was presented to the Bishop 
by John A. Khi-^. The Bishop gave the 
sentence of consecration to the Rector who 
read it to tlie congregation and gave it back 
to the Bishop who laid it on tiie commun- 
ion table. Tho Bishop preached a sermon 
to a large audience. 

S. J. CortNIELIiE 

left, for A'l Saints' church, N. Y., May 1(5, i 
18G3. 8ervieo3 were held in the church 
every Friday eveuing during Lent. j 

Augustus W. Cohnell 
was called Jan. 1861, as Rector's assistant, 
and ordained priest by Bishop Potter Ap. 1. 

Thos. Cook 
was called IBGG, May 10, as assistant to the 
Keclor v/ho was now infirm. i 

G. WiLLiAJKON Smith j 

offi-.-'iit^dhereforthelirsttim.eNov, 26, 1871 | 

and ,vas called Fob. 6, 187^. 

Antiquities of Grace Cliurcli. K'o. 9. 

Jamaica. 
Th(S first Episcopal Church on L. I., was- 
at Jamaica ; the second one at Hempstead, 
as appears by the following extracts from 
authentic documents. 

The Ven. Society printed no reports be- 
fore 170i ; but Rev. Geo. Koith says: "T 
arrived at Boston, June 11, 1702, wdth Rev. 
Patrick Gordon who died sis wests afterat 
Jamaica of a violent fever then frequent at 
N. y., where he first had it as is thought." 
The report of Ven. Society (1704) says: 
"Granted Patrick Gordon, Rector of Queens 
county, £50 per annum, sinoe deceased." 
< 'Granted to Wm. Urquhart at Jamaica £30 
per airaura." 

^^"".i minisfyer is wanted for Hempstead 
who will be allowed £60 there per annum," 
The Rev "Wm. Urquhart arrived in N. Y., 
June 16th and on July -Ith took possession 
of the Parsonage and was inducted in Aug. 
1704. But before his arrival the Gov'r. had 
already granted Bev. James Honeyman ad- 
mission to the ministerial function in Ja- 
maica where ho was serving in .^pril 1701 
and hoped by God's blessing to be of con- 
siderable service to tho church. He liad 
left his station in the navy by command of 
the Ven. Society on purpose to serve at Ja- 
maica, where ho says "We have a church. 



but not tliose necessaries that are requisite 
to the daily discharge of our office, name- 
ly, neither Biblo nor Prayer Booli, no cloths 
for pulpit or altar." * In a letter of the N. 
Y. Clergy to the Vea. Society they say : "in 
1702, Kev. Patrick Gordon came from Eng- 
land to the church at Jamaica, who before he 
could be inducted was snatched away by 
death from those people to their unspeaka- 
ble loss ; and upwards of 50 persons petition- 
ed Gov'r. Cornbury that he would give such 
directions to Rev. Mr. Vesey tiiat they 
might have constant lectures amongst 
them till that loss should be made up." 

Note — *0n the arrival of Mr. Uiviiiliart, Mr. 
Hoiioyman was sent to Newport where ha died 
fitter uvei 40 years service-, 

Mr. Gordon was buried by Mr. Vesey, 
Tuesday July 28, under the communion 
table in the old stone church and when it 
was taken down his remains and those of 
Mr. Urquhart were translated to the villag© 
cemetery. Another account says: "Pat- 
rick Gordon went from N. Y., with -design 
to preach in his Parish (;it the invitation of 
some of the best men in it) but took sick 
the day before he designed to preach, and 
so continued till his death about eight days 
after. God took him away just as he was 
about entering upon his charge." 

Administration was gi-anted on his estate 
(Dec. 5, 17a2)to Lewis Morris, Esq., who- 
with Samuel Clowes and Caleb Heathcote 
took great interest in the success of the Ja- 
maica Church. 

LOKD COBNBURY, 

the Gov. of N. Y. has been blarasd for med- 
dling with the church affairs of Queens 
County ; but he seems to have done little 
more (except disregarding the forms of law) 
than carry out the inetrucUona given him bj' 
his superiors, who wished the church of 
England to be established here.* We give 
four extracts : 

SO. — "You shall take care that God be 
duly and devoutly served throughout your 
government, that the Book of Common 
Prayer be read each Sunday and Holiday 
and that the sacraments be administered 
according to the rites of the- ehurcht of 
England ; that the churches be orderly and 
well kept and more built as the Colony im- 
proves. 



Besides the maintenance to each Minister 
of an Orthodox church a house shall be 
built for him at the common charge and 
land assigned for a glebe and the exercise 
of his industry. 

61. — You shall prefer no minister to a ben- 
efice without he has a certificate from the 
Bishop of London of hisbeiug conformable 
to the doctrine and discipline of the church 
of England and of a good life and conver- 
sation. 

62. — You shall give order that every Or- 
thodox minister be one of the Vestry and 
that there be no meeting without him ex- 
cept he be sick or omit to come. 

63. — You shall enquire if there be any 
Minister who preaches and administers the 
sacrament in any Orthodox church or chap- 
el without being in due orders; and you are 
to give account thereof to the Bishop of 
Loudon." 

Maxims of English IjAW. 

"All meieting houses raised by public tax 
become vested in the ministry established 
by law and so of all lands and glebes set 
aside by public Town Meetings. 

Every church of common right is entit- 
led to a house and glebe; and they belong to 
the Eector ex-ojjficio." 

Note.—* Ths former Governors had encourag- 
ed equality among the sects ; but Cornbm-y 
strove to introduce the English Statutes of Uui- 
tbrmit}', in obedience to the instructions he had 
received (Dec. 5, 1702) from Queen Anne, 

After the Presbyterians were deprived of 
their meeting house, they renewed their 
eom plaint to each successive Governor. We 
give one that has never before been print- 
ed : 

"The Memorial of Nathaniel Denton, 
Thos. Waters, and John Everett to Gov. 
Lovelace : 

Jamaica was bought in 1656 from the In- 
dians by our ancestors subjects of the realm 
of England, Protestants (Dissenters in man- 
ner of worship from the forms used in the 
ehurch of England) who settled and im- 
proved the lands and called Ministers of their 
own profession to officiate amongst them 
till 1703. 

In 1676 the Townsmen set apart divers 
lands for the better support of such minis- 
ters ; and in 1693 bought a house and other 
conveniences for their accommodation. 

About 1699 the major part of the free- 
holders built a meeting house for the wor- 
ship of God in their own way, and peace- 
ably used it till 1703-4, when without trial 



or process at lawthej were with force tum^ 
ed out, and are still deprived of tho house, 
jands and other conveniences of said meet- 
ing house. 

All which, in behalf of the people of Ja- 
maica, we submit to your Lordship's con- 
sideration and pray such relief as consists 
! With equity and justice," 

The Governor sent this Memorial to Tier. 
Wm. Urquhart the incumbent and Eector , 
who (April 4, 1703) thus replif-d : 

"Of what sect in religion the purchasers 
of Jamaica were I know not; but am cer- 
tain that the surviving Patentees were neith- 
er Presbyterians nor Independents. In 1G76 
they set apart land for a Parsonage to con- 
tinu<^ at the disposal of the Town to a 
"Minister" which [word] being notexpress- 
*iy m'^utioned [or delinodj cannot mean 
"Dissenters," much less tiny particular sect 
of them ; but by inteudiuent of law designs 
an Orthodox Minister of the establisheit 
church of the realm of England, which 
[opinion] is favored by many adjudged cases 
on the Statute of Charitable Uses. On Sep, 
29, 1693 [bhe Eev. John] Prudden sold back 
to the Town the Parsonage-house and honio- 
lut (which the}' before hud given him,) "to 
have and to hold as a Parsonage for the use 
of the Minisiry for ever," which grant in al! 
legal construction must be construed in fa- 
vor of the Established Church. In 1698 b}'- 
Act of Assembly a Church was built in the 
middle of the street. It is called a Church 
by them, and a very great many of the prin- 
cipal builders have always declared that they 
intended it for a Church of England. Be- 
sides, the very words of the Act, viz: "that 
there shall be called, inducted and establish- 
ed a good sufficient Protestant minister," 
can mean no other. For it was never known 
that any sect of Dissenters ever called their 
place of public worship "a church," or that 
they elected "Church Wardens" and "Ves- 
trymen," or that their ministers received 
"induction," as are the words ol that Act 
of Assembly. 

The}' comi)lain of being "turned out," etc. 
It is true that when there was no Orthodox 
minister, a Presbyttrian or Independent 
minister has had the possession of the 
church, house and lands (which was the 
case of Hempstead also, but all were will- 
ingly surrendered when demanded by Mr. 
Thomas) ; but tliat whenever a Church of 
England minister came, he always took pos- 
session of the church, which was in effect 
the possession of the whole. Besides, ^ir. 
Hubbard was not "forcibly turned out" but 
on Lord Cornbury's order he quietly left ; 
and they have since erected themselves a 
meetinghouse at their own charge. 

Wherefore I heartily pray your Esoellenoy 
as a good father and patron of the church, 
will discourage those Memorialiits as the 
disturbers of her peace." 



The Governor requested the memoralists 
to draw up their objections to Uv. Urqu- 
hart's letter but he died before. the case 
could be argued before him ; and so nothing 
came of it. Mr. Uniuhart also died about 
the first of September, and the Lieut. Gov. 
put the things belonging to tlie church in 
custody of Samuel Clowes, a true lover of 
the church, which was, he says, a great 
detriment to his secular aitairs amongst 
the Dissenters his inveterate neighbors. 
Hempstead Church. 
Prom the preceding quotations from co- 
temporary records it appears that Jamaica 
had three Episcopal ministers settled before 
Hempstead had one. 

This statement is illustrated and confirm- 
ed by several authors : 

(1). The Kev. Geo. Keith, an itinerant 
missionary of the Yen. Society, says: "On 
Sunday, Sep. 27, 1702, I preached at Hemp- 
stead where was such a multitude that the 
church [Presbyterian] could not contain 
them. Many stood without at the doors 
and windows to hear, who were generally 
well affected, and greatly desired a Church 
o! England minister to be settled among 
tliera. ' 

(2). Kev. John Bartow of W, C. says (May 
24, 1704) : "Hempstead has long expected a 
Missionary from the Yen. Soci<'ty, and I 
hope they will soon be answered." 

(3). Rev. Mr. Pritchard of Eye writes 
(Nov. 1, 1705) that "the Yen. Society would 
do well to send Mr. Stuart to Hempstead, 
where they stand very much in need of a 
minister, and complain very much for [want 
of] a Churchman, it being the best place iii 
the Province of N. Y., and best affected for 
the church. I design to preach there (D. Y.) 
frequently in order to continue them in a 
good opinion of our Church till a minis- 
ter comes. Mr. Vesey * and the people of 
Hempstead have been very prQssing on me 
to remove there, saying Lord Cornbury 
would willingly consent thereto." 

Some one may say : "Well, if the Hen;;p- 
stead church is not older than that of Ja- 
maica, what is the date of its establish- 
ment r We let Mr. Thomas n^ply to this 
question in the very words tluit ho himself 
wrote in the ilegister Book, July 13, 1707 ; 



"I, John Thomas E. Coll. Jesu Oxon vvas 
inducted Rector of Hempstead, Dec. .7, 
170-1." 

Mr Thomas' name appe»a-9 for the first 
time in the Yen. Society's Report of Feb. 
16, 1705, when a grant of X50 had been made 
to' him. Mr. Thomas writes to the Yen. 
Society (Mar. 1, 1705) thn.t "the people of 
Hempstead are better disposed to peace and 
civility than they are at Jamaica, yet My 
Lord Coriibury's countenance (next to the 
Providence of Heaven) is my chiefest safe- 
ty. I have scarce a man in the Parish truly 
steady and real to the interest and promo- • 
tion of the ^church any further than they 
aim at the favor or dread the displeasure of 
his Lordship. At the first commimlon I 
could persuade biat three to receive." 

Caleb Heathcotc writes (Nov. 9, 1705) that 
"Mr. Thomas has better assistants than Mr. 
Urquhart of Jamaica ; the leading men of 
HBmpstead not being disgusted, are helpful 
in the work, and having no other Secta- 
ries to oppose him by their meetings, but 
the Quakers, he makes very considerable- 
progress." 

Queen Anne (1706J gave to Jamaica, Hemp- 
stead and three other churches each, a large 
Bible, Common Prayer. Homilies, cloths 
for pulpit and communiontable, a silver 
chalice and paten. 

Note.-* It was natural for Mr. Vesey to take 
interest in the growth of the church of Hemp- 
stead for when be Ubored there as an I^iepen- 
dent or Congregational preacher be was call*c by 
the Dissenting Vesti, to Trinity Church, N^\., 
in a seeming but compulsory comphance with 
law thev knowing him to be not qualihed for ilio 
ehlrge ;C Mr. Vesey turned the tables on them 
tor as soon as he accepted and secured the call he 
changed his views, became a convert to Episco- 
pacy crossed the ocean and having received im- 
position of hands, and a certificate of lu& con- 
formitvfrom the Bishop of London, he returned 
to his cure and was inducted Rector ol the imrisli 
to the great mortification of the baffled Vestry 
■who were thus caught in their own trap. 



LBFe'30 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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